


Below Our Feet

by Lozey



Category: Junjou Romantica
Genre: 1800s, AU, Adventure, Akihiko still saves him a bunch though cuz Misaki is still an idiot, Depression, F/M, I dont know what else to tag this story, Junjou Romantica - Freeform, Junjou Romantica AU, M/M, Misaki is kinda more manly but thats cuz he farms, Mountains, Umm sex later on, all that gay, and does a lot of hunting, but theres violence so you get that warning, but they didn't have that in the warnings, farming, healthy relationship, mountain village, ok have fun reading, sex and violence, woods
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-30
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 00:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/616058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lozey/pseuds/Lozey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In 1847 Misaki Takahashi lives alone. He owns a farm and sells his crops weekly and with winter kicking in, it'll only be harder to keep everything together. But, what will happen when Misaki gets in trouble with thugs, be-friends Akihiko Usami, and discovers a secret about Akihiko that could possibly break their friendship apart? Feelings rush forth as confessions as everything these two men knew crumble Below Their Feet.<br/>Misaki/Usagi-san</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Howl

**Author's Note:**

> Hallo everyone! This is my first ever Junjou Romantica Fanfic! Ehehe I'm so excited!  
> I've been working on this for the past few days now and I think It's gone far enough for a first chapter, even though I wanted to make it longer.
> 
> Anyway, here it is!
> 
> Also note that I will not be putting Japanese suffixes at the end of their names (-san, -chan, -sama, ect.) because it literally translates out to Mr. or Mrs. (Ms.)  
> Also because of this, Misaki will not be calling Akihiko "Usagi-san" and will either call him "Akihiko" or "Mr. Usami" (at the beginning of the story that is, later on he'll just call him Akihiko).
> 
> ALSO Misaki will NOT deny his love for Akihiko once he finally admits it to himself, because him denying Usagi-san kisses and hugs and his love was something that really pissed me off in the manga/show.
> 
> HAVE FUN READING~

* * *

 

In a small mountain town back in 1847 there lived a small family with the last name of Takahashi. There was an older brother by the name of Takahiro and a younger brother by the name of Misaki.  
  
Misaki Takahashi was rather short for his age of 19 and has soft brown hair that was above his shoulders. His eyes were a bright emerald green and he had this kind way of speaking. He was easily offended, though, when it came to his height and usually rebounded with a harsh comment to the other person or he yelled about how much he was growing per year, when in reality, he wasn't.  
  
The Takahashi brothers did not live with one another for Misaki, being 19, had come of age almost a year ago to move out wher he now lived in a little cottage with a farm of his own. He had wished his eldest brother the best for he had married by the time Misaki moved out and now had a child on the way.  
  
Although Misaki had his own farm, he was a rather poor young man, but his spirits were always high. He cooked his own meals and cleaned his own home and woke up before the sun reached the horizon to work on his farm.  
  
Every week he would go to the market and sell his goods to the people of the village and get a decent amount of money for his goods. Sometimes even his older brother would stop by to purchase his fruits and vegetables.  
  
Seldom did a man by the name of Akihiko Usami buy his things, which was always a pleasent surprise for the young man. Mr. Usami was one of the most well known men in the village for he was fairly wealthy. Although Akihiko did not live in a large home, much to his dislike, he was said to have many things and it was rumored he often bought children's toys and filled his home with them, which didn't really matter to Misaki, as long as the man bought his things.  
  
In this small village hidden in the mountains a story will be told about a young man and a rich man. They may find in each other something they thought could never come into play in their small lives.

* * *

 

  
Misaki walked down the road, pulling a small cart behind him and a large leather bag slung around his shoulders. It was the end of the week where he went into the town's market and sold what he had harvested. His first stop was at a large store where the owner had requested that the young man sell to him personally. He assumed it was because he was brothers with Akihiko and did not want to dwell with the commoners. He paused a few feet away from the store to straighten his clothes and hair and to tighten the scarf around his neck before walking the short distance to the front door.  
  
He peeked inside to see the man, known as Haruhiko Usami, scribbling in a notebook. Misaki turned away and took a tarp out of the cart and placed it over the small thing. He tied it down and tied it to a pole before walking away and into the store where a small ding announced his arrival.  
  
Haruhiko looked up from his scribblings. This man was the oldest of the Usami brothers, at the age of 31, and lived with his father somewhere far off away from the town and only came in weekly to buy from Misaki. He usually had someone watch the store for him while he was away. Haruhiko was a tall man with dark, neat hair. He always had a pair of glasses perched upon his nose and his face seemed always... blank, or apathetic. He had an uncaring air about him when visiting the village it seemed and would only talk to those he deemed important enough. Misaki felt pleased everytime he was allowed to sell his goods to a man of such high status and he would daresay call Mr. Usami an acquaintance, but thats as far as the young Takahashi was willing to go.  
  
At his arrival he stepped more into the store to get away from the nip of the cold fall air. He shook the chill off of him as best he could and walked over to the counter quietly, Haruhiko watching his every movement.  
  
"Ah, Hello, Mister Haruhiko." He smiled politely and waited for the older man to move his things from the counter so that he could place his produce there instead. He picked up his bag with a grunt of effort and put it on the counter with a nervous laugh following. "What would you like this week, sir?"  
  
"Do you have strawberries?"  
  
"Sadly no, I don't, Haruhiko sir. They're not, uh, in season." Misaki replied and he shifted on his feet uneasily when his buyer gave a dissapointed look towards the younger man. Takahashi instead pulled out a large watermelon and set it aside. "But these are nice and ripe, sir." He said, trying to ease the tension. The last thing he wanted to do was dissapoint a customer of such high status.  
  
Haruhiko stared at it for a few seconds before shaking his head slowly. "A melon will do just fine Misaki, I like those better." he replied.  
  
The younger Takahashi almost let out a breath of relief, but held back on it to save himself from further embarassment. He pulled out a melon and took the other fruit back, placing it in his leather bag. "Tell you what Mr. Usami, the next time that I have strawberries, you'll be the first man I sell them to."  
  
Haruhiko nodded slowly. "Yes alright." He grabbed his book, flipped to a random page and wrote something down. "It's a deal then." He turned back to the brown haired man and held out his hand.  
  
Misaki blinked in surprise at the gesture and looked up at the older Usami with a curious tilt of his head. He pulled out a handkerchief and held it and then put his hand in Haruhiko's. "A deal then." He smiled brightly.

\-----------------

  
Misaki left soon after with a friendly wave good bye. He had a new sort of bounce in his step after a short chat with Haruhiko. He took his cart and kept strolling on down street towards the town square where the weekly produce market took place. He usually had a stand reserved for the market because usually no one wants to buy from a boy with just a cart to put his name on.  
  
He looked around to see others walking down the street with their products. Some people had more than he did and horses pulling wagons filled with food, and he was a little jealous of it all, but he could always make due so it never bothered him too much. It seemed a bit crowded today and when Misaki was finally able to make it to the market square, he had trouble trying to find out where he had reserved his stand. He was sure it was by the walk way that lead on to more parts of the village.  
  
"Aha!" he exclaimed as he finally laid eyes on it. It was a small corner of the town square and there really wasn't a large crowd around it, much to Misaki's dissapointment. He walked over to it quickly and began setting up his things when he heard an angry grunt next to him.  
  
He turned to see a man much taller than he was. He had a five o'clock shadow and short, slicked back hair. He was dressed semi nicely, probably his best wear to be able to draw people into buying his things. "Excuse me sir." He said, annoyed. "You took my spot. I was going to set up here today, so get lost."  
  
"Well think again buddy, I reserved this stand awhile ago." Misaki replied and turned his back to the stranger. In that day and age you couldn't be polite and offer up something that you payed for just because some strange man demanded it.  
  
The gentleman did not turn away and instead towered over Takahashi and glared. "You watch your tongue boy!"  
  
"Look, sir, I got here first and spent my hard earned cash on it. It's just not automatically yours because you thought you paid for it." He replied with an air of annoyance. "So if you would, please leave." he turned his back away once more and continued to set up his things for the days run of the market. Misaki turned back to see if he was still standing next to his stall, but all he saw was the man's back as it disappeared into the crowd. The teenager let out a sigh and continued on with his things.  
  
\----------------------------

  
"I'm not selling it for so little Sir."  
  
"A little man like you probably needs the money, now come on, accept the offer."  
  
"Two pents for three bundles of corn? I don't think so! It's eight pents or go away." Misaki argued.  
  
"And eight pents is a rip off, boy!" The man yelled back. He seemed almost similar to the man from earlier yelling about who had what stand, except he was much shorter and a lot more stubborn. He grabbed a random corn on the cob from the stand and pulled away, trying to take it by force but Misaki grabbed his wrist and pulled it back, a knife at his fingers.  
  
"Steal from me and you won't have any more fingers to hold your precious corn. Eight pents." Misaki growled, glaring up at the man.  
  
He let go of the corn and yanked his arm out of Misaki's grasp. "Watch yourself boy, you don't wanna be insultin' the wrong kind of people."  
  
"Just go." Misaki replied quickly and pointed him away. "I don't need you scaring off customers, so if you please, remove yourself from my stand." He glared at the man, who looked like he was about to kill the teenager. He then huffed, straightened his coat sleeve, and left. Takahashi grumbled to himself, "I have had it up to here with idiots bothering me today." He picked up a few coins a previous customer had traded him for some carrots when a deep voice spoke up from behind him.  
  
"I wouldn't let it get to me personally."  
  
Misaki jumped a little, the coins he was picking up fell to the ground and the young man quickly got on his hands and knees to pick them up. Another person knelt down, leaning back on his haunches, to help. The teen looked up to fuss at him for trying to take his money, "Hey buddy I-" but he was cut short by the familiar figure, the lavender irises, the glasses with a chain. "M-Mr. Usami, sir!" He yelped and quickly stood, hitting his head on a shelf from his stand, grunting, and then standing. "I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.. to..." He looked away, a blush covering his face."  
  
He heard the click and clack of coins hitting a wooden surface, and a pleased sigh. "You're welcome Takahashi." and with that, Akihiko Usami turned and walked away into the crowd.  
  
"Wa...it..." but it was too late, Akihiko was already lost in the crowd, and all Misaki could do was feel like a fool. With a shake of his head, the teen put his money away and stomped his foot. "Yeah, I shouldn't let it get to me!" He exclaimed happily, fist in air. "Those guys can't do anything to me! Haha!" He pulled out his knife and jabbed it at nothing, "Try and steal from me why don't ya! Ha!"  
  
The rest of the day passed without incident and Misaki was able to sell more than his usual share, which was good enough for him, and left him going home happy. He packed up his things, shared a few laughs with his companions, and yawned. He was more than ready to go home and just sleep. Days at the market usually did that to him.  
  
He pulled his cart along behind him with some effort and stopped every so often to adjust an article of clothing or to fit his leather bag on his shoulder better. He kept on trecking down the street where the sun began going down behind the mountain tops. Misaki looked up, hoping to see bright, vivid colors, and was not dissapointed. There were different hues of pink, orange, and light purple. The sun was giving off just enough light to cast shadows over the mountains.  
  
The teen smiled and closed his eyes, humming to himself. He liked sunsets, it was one of the nice things about living up in the mountains, that and it was easy game. He opened his eyes just in time to see that someone was about to run into him, because they man decided to be looking across the street and walking at the same time. Misaki couldn't move fast enough and bumped shoulders with the man. "Oi! Watch where ya going!" he yelled and walked away quickly, too soon for Misaki to apologize.  
  
"People these days..."

\----------------------

  
It was snowing a couple of days later. The day after the market fiasco, Misaki looked at the clouds, which were a dark gray, so he had decided to harvest as much as he could and cover the other crops with tarps. He was right on his hunch, because the day that followed, today, it snowed.  
  
He wrapped himself with his best winter clothes that he had, which were filled with holes, and sat by the fire. He made himself comfortable with a bowl of soup and a blanket. He had only taken one sip of his meal when a pounding noise could be heard. Someone was knocking at his door, and they wanted in.  
  
Misaki put his food down and dropped his blanket to the floor to answer the door. He hopped over a sack of potatoes and ran towards the front of his house to open the door. What he was faced with was a very heafty looking man. He had a rough appearence to him with a big booshy beard, large arms and shoulders, and had a good six and a half feet to him. Misaki shrunk against his glare.  
  
"You dat boy who bad mouthin' me mates?" he asked with a booming voice.  
  
"I.. I don't know what you could be talking about sir..." Misaki replied, his voice the exact opposite from this brute, and it trembled with fear.  
  
"You shut yer filthy mouth, yeh? I been hearing you be bad mouthin' me mates and run into one w'th out o'pologizin' yeh?" He grunted and spat on the snow. "Kids 'ese days ain't got no manners." He turned his back and whistles, jabbing a thumb in Misaki's direction. "O'er here boys!"  
  
Misaki peeked from behind the brute and saw that he had come by wagon and that two men, bother smaller than the one at the door, came running over. Although they were smaller than the first man, they were both still built and look like they have one a fair share of fights. The teen was trembling in his spot.  
  
Misaki stared up at them like a deer in headlights, and one of them laughed. "I-I'm sorry if... if I offended any of your friends sir! I certainly didn't mean anything by it, I would glady go and apologize... I-if you want..." He trailed off and the end of his sentence could barely be heard.  
  
The brute motioned with his head to the guy on the left and he came forward, grabbing Misaki by the collar of his shirt and yanking him up off his feet. "Wouldn't you be though?" He snarled. He was missing some teeth.  
  
The first one let out a sort of grunt-laugh. "Take care 'o him, yeh?" He turned and went back to the wagon, pulling a cloak up over his head to keep the snow off.  
  
"Look I'm sorry alright?!" Misaki gasped, clenching at the man's arm that was holding him up. "I-I didn't mean a thing by it!" He pleaded, "I'm sorry!"  
  
"You will be." One replied and swung his fist, the crack of bone heard clearly.

\---------------

  
An owl's hoot is sometimes soft, sometimes loud, or even a shrill screech depending on the breed. Tonight's owl was not that one, and it let out a soft hoot into the night.  
  
Misaki woke up in a crumpled heap behind his house covered in snow. He opened and closed his eyes multiple times, wishing the pain away. He lifted his head and breathed in, wincing at the sharp pain in his ribs. He put his head back down and only wished to sleep here in the cold, to be wrapped in a blanket of white, but he knew better.  
  
He had tried to fight back, to kick his assailers, but one had held down his legs while the other continued to punch him. In the end, he came out with a bruised ribcage, a black eye, swolen cheeks, and a broken arm.  
  
Being poor does not have many benefits, including trips to the doctor whenever one felt like it. He would have to patch himself up and come up with a makeshift cast until it healed on its own.  
  
He layed there in the snow until he couldn't take the cold anymore. He slowly sat up, cradeling his broken limp, and stood, wincing and hissing through his teeth. "Ah... o-ow..." He shivered and his teeth chattered. He turned to face the back wall of his house and leaned against it. "It's cold as death out here."  
  
Misaki limped back into his house slowly, wincing everytime he put too much pressure on one side of his body. He put more logs into the fireplace, started it up, and grabbed wrappings from his kitchen to wrapped around his broken arm. He fell asleep by the fire, blanket wrapped tightly around his body.

\-------------------

  
Looking out the window a week lately, Misaki silently agreed with himself to not go to market that day. His arm was getting better, and almost three days after the incident, he went back to working on his farm, ignoring the pain.  
  
So the day went by slowly. The young man sat in his chair at the dinner table and stared out at the food in front of him, a weight on his heart telling him that he should have sold these. The unsold food taunted him, making Misaki cringe, and he resolutely decided to ignore it and scooted away, looking up at the ceiling instead.  
  
"It's not my fault I got beaten to a bloody pulp." Misaki mumbled, crossing his arms indignantly. "Why should I feel bad? Because someone tried to steal from me?" He grumbled and went into the other room. "I shouldn't." He said, and that was that. He put put a few logs on the burner and started it up. "Going to have to sweep in here..." He said as he looked around. Ash covered the floor around the fireplace. He went into the other room and started to sweep slowly, only so that the ash wouldn't fly up every where.  
  
Later that day he made himself dinner and decided to eat at the kitchen table, ignoring the pile of food that he was supposed to sell that day. He made himself a measely meal of rice, pork, and beans. He took a few bites before he heard a quick knock at his door.  
  
Still a little shaken from the week before, Misaki grabbed his knife and stuffed it in his pocket, afraid that it might be those men who had pummeled him before. He walked over to the door and called out, "Who is it?"  
  
There was a short pause before a deep voice replied, "Mr. Haruhiko Usami."  
  
Misaki let out a sigh of relief and opened the door. "Haruhiko." He said with a shy smile. "What brings you here?" he asked with a bright smile.  
  
The man did not answer immediatly and shoved pass Misaki, letting himself in. "You did not stop by Takahashi, why is that?" He asked, scanning his surrounding area. He looked down at Misaki to see his arm wrapped up in a cast. "You broke your arm?"  
  
Misaki nodded quickly and shifted from foot to foot nervously. "Uh... Yeah, fixing something on the roof.... And I uh.. Fell." He lied, averting his eyes.  
  
But Haruhiko seemed to buy it and went on to nod slowly. "This is where you live."  
  
Misaki nodded and he blushed lightly. "Uh... Yeah." He added, nodding.  
  
Haruhiko hummed to himself and turned towards the kitchen. "Do you have anything to sell today? I assume that you will be needing the money seeing how you were not in the market." He asked, not looing at the flustered teen.  
  
The young man couldn't help but gawk at the man in front of him, but he quickly corrected himself and stared up at him questionably. "Why would you want to buy from me? There are plenty other people selling their crops."  
  
Haruhiko turned and glared at the boy, who shrunk back and stuck his hand in the pocket with the knife. "You do not know what I want, now take me to your kitchen." he demanded.  
  
Misaki nodded and put his head down. "Yes sir." He replied quietly. He turned the way Haruhiko was facing before and walked on, "This way." the teen said, his head up now. When they got into the kitchen, Misaki placed his pocket knife down on a table and turned towards the table. "Um.. Would you like to take a seat?"  
  
The older Usami didn't reply and instead took a seat as offered. He looked at the food on the table and the half empty plate of dinner, which Misaki snatched up and placed on the counter. "This is it then?" Haruhiko questioned, staring mutely down at the produce in front of him.  
  
The teen rocked back and forth on his feet. "Yes sir, it is." He replied promptly, nodding at the food. "Haven't been able to harvest much with a broken arm, so I apologize for not having much to choose from." He added, hoping to make the situation less awkward. Sadly, Haruhiko was a hard man to talk to.  
  
The man stared at the assorted fruits and vegetables, thinking to himself. It took him some time to decide, the whole while Misaki stood there awkwardly glancing at him and the food. Finally Haruhiko leaned forward and pulled out 3 bundles of bell peppers and an apple. "This is all I want." He said with a flat voice. He stood from his spot and pulled out a pouch, walke over to the counter, and dropped it on the surface, a quiet thump and a tink followed.  
  
Misaki stood stunned as Haruhiko left and closed the door silently behind him. The teen turned on his heel and shook his head. "Bed. Now."


	2. First Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The blood was pounding in his ears and he was bleeding from a broken nose, but he could still hear the creak of a door opening and the clearing of a throat. "Pardon me." A deep voice said and it drew the attention of the three large men, Misaki was in too much pain to care. "What in the world are you four doing here?" It was Akihiko Usami that spoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallo! Chapter two is up! yay!  
> Decided to name each chapter after a song that I think fits it best
> 
> this one is "First Snow" By Clint Mansell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkSs8ZHNP6Q

As another week passed on by, Misaki's arm was getting better. It still hurt to move it and he kept the cast on most of the time, but every so often he would take it off to feel if it were well enough to do strenuous work again.

Because of his lame arm, it was harder to harvest his crops and it took up most of his time now to get everything done. Some of the fruits that needed special attention started to dry up and wilt, so Misaki started going to them first thing in the morning. He would do this every morning and throughout the day. It was a slow process, but he soon set to a steady rhythm. At the end of the week he went to the market and had no disputes, which made him all the more happy. People would feel sorry for him because of his broken arm and would buy extra, except those who could not afford it.

He was set with extra money because of this, which made him all the more happy. He went home and hummed to himself the whole way, now more than confident that those men would not bother him anymore, for they had left him alone for nearly two weeks. 

Misaki was home now, looking through his things in his cabinets. He had run out of parsley and sage, which he used quite often. As he peered in closer he also realized that he had run out of a special spice that he used for a special soup made around winter. For some odd reason, this soup had become tradition in his family when his great grandfather came up with the recipe at the start of winter, and for the rest of his life he kept on making it for every start of the winter, with all of his children, grand children, and so on keeping up the tradition. Well Misaki wasn't going to let that die, so he made it last winter and will make it for this one as well.

He decided to look around his home to see if he needed anything else and he found that his blanket had rips and tears in it, add some holes and it was no longer good. He would need another one.

So Misaki decided that he would go to market today to buy his things. Plus he was running out of tea leaves, and he liked his tea. He dashed into his bedroom and picked out his warm clothes. A scarf, gloves, and a couple of long sleeved shirts. He dressed quickly, shivering as the cool air that breached his home came into contact with his naked skin.

He left soon enough and locked the door behind him, breathing in a nice breath of air. He would visit the spice store first, since it was closest. He liked that store, it smelt nice and it was warm. Maybe he should stop by the bakery after, he had enough money.

Misaki walked down the street with his arms crossed, mainly to keep warm. The store was just around the corner and when he saw the sign, which had a bay lead on it and a pile of parsley, he smiled and rushed on inside. The warmth of the store greeted him and he let out a happy breath of air. He waved good morning to the store owner and walked over to a stack of spices.

The store was rather small, due to the fact that there weren't much bulk to small jars filled with plants. But because of its small size, the store kept warm in all corners. The shop owner lived upstairs and almost always had the place open and welcome to the public. While Misaki was looking for the parsley and sage, someone came in and let in a cold draft of air. The store owner greeted the customer with a pleasant hello. Misaki didn't turn to see who it was, he really didn't care. He walked away just as the man walked up next to him, but still he didn't know who it was. He walked the short distance to the other side of the store, Parsley and sage in hand. He scanned the racks for the ingredient he needed, didn't see it, and looked once more but more closely. Not there.

"What..?" He mumbled to himself, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "But no one ever uses that..."

"Is this what you were looking for?" A deep voice sounded behind him. Misaki spun on his feet to face a chest. He tilted his head up to see that it was none other than Akihiko Usami, the man he bothered about his coins even though he was just returning them. Great.

Misaki stumbled over his words in confusion, "S-sir? Wh-what?"

Akihiko held up a small jar, the same jar that Misaki was searching for just a second ago. The teen glanced at it, then at the taller man. "This spice?" Akihiko pressed, looking down at Misaki, "Is it not the one that you need?" He asked again, raising an eyebrow. Add Akihiko Usami to the list of intimidating folk that Misaki has run into so far.

The young man looked at the bottle again. Yup, that's the one. He nodded slowly, then looked up at Akihiko again. The older man sighed and shook his said. "How sad, you can't even speak."

Misaki's face instantly turned red at the insult and he looked down at his feet, then up again at the Usami. "Excuse me?" He sputtered, "I can speak just well, thank you very much!"

Akihiko smiled a little and put his hands behind his back. "Indeed you can." He looked Misaki in the face. "You certainly could when you thought that I was stealing your money." The older man stated with a smirk.

Misaki anger was replaced with immediate embarrassment. He averted his eyes and also put his hands behind his back in shame. "I'm terribly sorry for the misunderstanding.." He laughed nervously. Inside his head, Misaki was groaning from how stupid he must look and turned on his heal back to the spices, trying to hide his face the best he could.

"Rude, don't you think?" Akihiko whispered suddenly in the boy's ear, making him cringe. "I was trying to have a conversation." He stood up straight and gave an almost over dramatic sigh.

Now Misaki felt completely foolish. His face flushed with embarrassment and he turned back to the Usami, head down. He found the floors to be interesting sometimes, mainly in moments like these. That one plank of wood had a small scratch on it, and he wonders who or what could have done that. He breathed in, "I.. Apologize." Misaki muttered.

The older man hummed to himself and then grabbed Misaki's hand, placing the spice in it. "Really it was just an excuse to talk to you." He offered a smiled. Misaki was still looking down. Akihiko sighed. "Just... Keep it, alright?" He lay his hand on Misaki's head to ruffle his hair, but the boy flinched horribly and Akihiko quickly pulled it back, slightly shocked. "Word travels." He stated and turned and Misaki thought it safe to look up again, but he was a little confused now. "I hear you have a family tradition for winter, a special soup is it?" He began to walk away. "I'd like to try some." He said right before leaving, leaving a very confused Misaki in his tracks. His heart hammered against his chest and he remained silent even when he went to the counter to pay for the ingredients. The store owner asked if he knew the man, but Misaki own shrugged his shoulders and left.

His next stop was the store that Haruhiko owned, but he would not be there today, instead his friend would be manning the store. He was the manager. Misaki walked the distance from the spice store to the assorted objects store, or so Misaki liked to call it, because it sold a lot of things. He just needed a blanket though, and after buying it he decided to go to the bakery. He's only been a couple of times, and it always smelled nice. How could a bakery smell bad?

He could see that inside the store his friend was reading a book. Misaki smiled and opened the door, the familiar little 'ding' announcing his arrival. "Misaki!" The man behind the counter called out, and the teen held up his hand in greeting.

"Hey Sumi, how are you?" Misaki asked. Keiichi Sumi was his full name, but Misaki just liked calling him Sumi, saying that it was easier to remember and he liked the ring of it. His friend had shaggy, sliver hair and light brown eyes, which were always hidden behind a pair of glasses. He was a year older than Misaki, making him twenty. Sumi had a very dry sense of humor in which a lot of people couldn't tell if he were joking or not. He was also very affectionate towards his friends and was most sarcastic with them than anyone else.

Sumi was smart, logical, and very manipulative, but he kept that last part to those most desired. "Good morning." Sumi smiled at him as Misaki placed his elbows on the table. "I've been well. It's actually nice, you know, to have a day off every time Mr. Usami comes in to buy your things." He laughed and closed the book he had been holding open. "I think he likes you."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Misaki exclaimed, perking up, a frown replacing his smile. "He just doesn't like commoners. Plus the only reason he buys from me is because I was the first one he saw with a cart of produce, that's it." He pouted.

"Cute." Sumi commented and leaned forward. "Word goes 'round that he visited your little farm last week." He raised an eyebrow. "And you say he doesn't like you!"

Misaki blushed and put his elbows back on the counter, hiding his face in one arm. "Well he had good reason, he didn't break his arm and wasn't able to farm well enough." He stood up straight and sighed.

Keiichi scoffed and turned around, his back to the teen, to stack canned goods. "Oh dear, you broke your arm? Tragic." He chuckled.

Misaki glared, "Oh shut up, I didn't come here so you could laugh at me, Sumi." the nineteen year old fussed, his face turning a light shade of pink.

His friend turned back around and leaned forward, ruffling Misaki's hair with a smile. "I only tease, Misaki, because I love." he winked and walked around from behind the counter to stand next to the teen, dusting off his hands. "But you are right, you didn't come here so I could tease you, however much fun that is. What will you be needing today?" He asked, staring at him with a straight face.

Misaki was busy flattening his hair down to reply right away, but as his arms fell to his side he turned and walked over to a shelf too high for him to reach, and he pointed up at a pile of blankets. "I only need one."  
"One blanket coming up!"

\----------------------------------------

Misaki smelled the bread that he had just bought and smiled. Fresh out of the oven. Today was a very good day for him despite the immense embarrassment he received at the spices store. He closed his eyes and hummed happily to himself as he stepped inside the store across from the bakery, the place that sold tea leaves and other things to go with drinks. 

He noticed the man behind the counter had his back to him, so he was probably busy. Misaki decided not to disturb him and went over to where they kept jasmine tea. He smiled and picked up a small container of it and turned. His heart stopped.

It was the man that he had threatened to cut off his fingers if he tried to steal from him, the same exact man. The shop owner didn't notice him yet, he had his face turned away, but it was definitely him. Misaki placed the thing of tea leaves down and backed away. He didn't need this, not today.

He turned his back right as the man turned his head and he had only one foot in the air before the guy started yelling, "Oi!!! You're that ratty boy! You're the one who nearly cut off me fingers!! You get over here, see how you like it!" He laughed.

Misaki turned, glaring, "You were trying to steal from me! I had every right!" he tried to keep up his tone, but his heart was thumping loudly in his chest and he could hear the beat of his heart the blood was rushing to his head so fast. It almost hurt.

The man frowned at Misaki. "I said come here." he repeated

He was afraid of what to do next. Run? Go to him and have his fingers cut off? Yell? He didn't know what to do as he watched the man in front of him. He saw his every move as he leaned under the counter and came back up with a knife. Now. The man came at him just as Misaki turned and ran. He tightened his arms around the things that he had bought and pushed through the door.

"Thief!" The store owner yelled out into the air and then he went back inside and yelled it again. THIEF. It rang in Misaki's ears as he paused, his arms wrapped around his things, crushing the bread. He breathed heavily. Then he saw three men leave the store and spot him. They were there to kill him, he knew it. A thief usually only get their fingers cut off, but these were brutes, and friends of that awful man. They will kill him. He ran like hell.

There were a lot of twists and turns among the houses in the village and ice now pathed the streets, so running was hard and the teen constantly slipped and slid. The men were close behind him and he could hear them shouting at him, but barely. The blood in his ears was pounding, he couldn't hear. The cold air whipped him in the face and his hair was flying out behind him. He urged his legs to move faster, for him to not slip, but in the end it was inevitable. He was running out of breath and his feet faltered. He slipped and fell and landed hard on the ice. He slid a little forward and did not pause to look back, or to catch his breath. He scrambled to his feet just in time as one of the men dove for him. They yelled in anger at him and they did not help their friend to get up.

Misaki had never run for his life before, never knew what it could feel like. He could only feel horror, panic. His throat stung, his nose was running, eyes tearing up at the wind. He was terrified for his life and he wished that he had not gone to market that day, wished that the man would not have tried to steal, or for the other man to not try and take his stand.

It was that feeling when you are so scared, even before anything happens, but the thought of it and your heart gives this painful sting and it beats faster. Its only for a moment. It was this that Misaki felt when he knew he would die today. They would beat him so badly that he would die. 

He was getting in the rich part of the town and there were only a few houses here. There was a rather large one with an ally way between it. If he could cut through there, maybe he could get away, and so he did.

A dead end greeted him like the gates of hell. He looked up at it and mentally cursed himself and turned to run the opposite direction, but those men were not slow and they were there, glaring down fiercely at him. He backed up and ran to the end, but they did not. There was a door there and he banged on it quickly and yelled out for help, his voice hoarse from running.

One of them grabbed him by the neck and threw him back against the wall and he let out a yelp. The first man stepped forward and picked Misaki back up and shook him violently. The teen let tears fall and he was released, and they all laughed at him, mocking him. He threw Misaki back once more and cracked his knuckles. "Caught us a wee rat, didn't we?" He said.

Misaki was breathing rapidly now and he stared at them, his head flicking to one another as they spoke. "That we did, that we did." The second man said and grinned. Misaki turned his head quickly to look at him and he backed up against the wall until not even a breath could pass between him and the rough surface.

The third one was quiet this whole time but now he spoke, "You know what we do to thieves, boy?" He asked but did not wait for an answer. "We beat 'em!" he laughed, "We cut 'em!"

The boy didn't reply, just prayed to god that he would make it through this, that he would be able to crawl back home and lick his wounds.

A sudden punch in the face made him realize how serious this was. They were not just defending a friend, however awful that person may be. They were taking revenge on a 'thief', and they were brutes. Yes, he would die, he knew that, so he cried silently. Only a miracle could save him now.

The blood was pounding in his ears and he was bleeding from a broken nose, but he could still hear the creak of a door opening and the clearing of a throat. "Pardon me." A deep voice said and it drew the attention of the three large men, Misaki was in too much pain to care. "What in the world are you four doing here?" It was Akihiko Usami that spoke.

The first one spoke up first, "This here boy be stealing from one of me mates, see?" He yelled, pointing at the boy. None of the thugs looked at him, but Akihiko glanced over at Misaki, who shook his head slowly.

The Usami sighed and kept his door open and retreated back inside, leaving three confused men and a scared teen in the alley. They were about to turn back to Misaki when Akihiko came back with four gold coins in hand. "Give this to your friend as payment, now please, go away." He said and glared at them evenly.

They smiled and nodded, "Right you are mate." and left. Misaki finally relaxed as they dissapeared from sight. He looked over and saw Akihiko walking over to him, hands held out in front of him to show that he wasn't going to harm him.

"Come on inside Takahashi." He whispered calmly and hoisted Misaki up from his position on the ground. "Lets get you cleaned up." He led the teen inside and the boy nodded numbly, his nose stinging and still spilling blood.  
\---------------------------------

Akihiko was a very rich man and had a very nice home, as very few in the village did. He had a working drainage system so that meant he could tap in hot water whenever he wanted, which was nice and very convenient. He let Misaki bathe in his tub, for he was slightly dirty. After he had dressed, Akihiko took the opportunity to help clean off his face of the blood because Misaki refused to touch it himself, for he was ashamed of it.

So the older man cleaned him up as best he could and dressed him in his clothes, far too big for the teen, but Akihiko liked the way it looked on him and he silently agreed that it was cute.

Misaki kept smelling his hair, Akihiko noticed, probably because he had never used that kind of rich shampoo before, and it smelled heavenly. The boy had repeatedly apologized for what he put Akihiko through, but the man would shake it off and point out that it wasn't as bad as what Misaki had gone through. 

"I'll pay you back, sir, I will. I promise, in any way. That was a lot of money!" He would say, and the Usami would shake his head and reply, "I don't need you paying me back for anything."

The sleeves on Misaki's button down were too big for him and he constantly had to push them back. Akihiko insisted he stay longer, Misaki argued back, the older man won and made them both coffee, something the teen had never drank before.

They talked for awhile and Misaki mentioned his broken arm and how it had made life just a bit harder for him. "How'd you break your arm?" Akihiko asked, sipping from his mug.

Misaki faltered a bit and then took a sip from his as well. "Fell off the roof." He mumbled. "Trying to fix something... Up there."

"Right, and I'm the tooth fairy." Akihiko scoffed and then set the mug down, frowning at Misaki. "Tell me how it really happened." He urged, leaning forward.

"I told you... I fell off the roof." Misaki averted his eyes. He was not a good liar. He turned his head away and set his mug down as well. He had grown a habit now of twiddling his thumbs or messing with anything he could to avoid any awkward situations. This time it was his sleeve.

"You're lying, I can tell." Akihiko said quietly.

Misaki bit his bottom lip and inhaled quickly. "They broke it." he mumbled and blushed. "I had threatened the one... Who called them on me....... Yelled at another because of a misunderstanding.... Bumped into... a third without saying sorry..." He quivered. "So they beat me up and broke my arm." Misaki wiped away a free tear and took another sip of his coffee. "And.. I ran into the guy I threatened, and he tried to cut me, so I ran, and he called me a thief."

Akihiko sat in silence for a few minutes, staring off into space as Misaki shook in his seat and kept bring the mug of coffee up to his lips without drinking anything. Finally he looked back at the boy. "Why did you threaten him?" he asked with a straight face.

Misaki put it the coffee down. "He umm.." He held back tears and breathed in and out. "He tried to steal from me." he let out a shaky breath and looked away.

Akihiko nodded. "You had every right." His voice was quiet and soft. "They should not have done that to you, Takahashi." He said simply.

Misaki nodded, then shook his head in disagreement. "Yeah well, they did.. Can't be taken back now." He put the cup down and stood, pushing away from the table that they were seated at. "I need to go.." his eyes stung now with tears threatening to pull over. He blinked them away and breathed in.

"I'd rather you stay until you calm down."

"But you've already done so much."

"I insist."

"You insist too much."

They stared at each other for a minute until Misaki found it far too awkward and turned away. "You've been really nice to me, really, and thank you again for putting up with me, but I should be going." The teen shook his head and turned back. "I'd really like to repay you in any way I can... And I'll bring your clothes back."

"You can keep the damn clothes." Akihiko said with a sigh and stood and went back to the kitchen, "You can keep your money, everything." He grumbled and put the mug in the sink, the rest of his coffee going down the drain. "I'll bring you home." He said, and it was final, Misaki could tell.

So he got his things. The bread was completely ruined since it had fallen in the mud in the alley and the jar of sage had broken. The blanket was muddy but it had saved the special ingredient he needed and the parsley, so that made him happy.

Akihiko filed them into the carriage that he owned with a personal driver. It rocked back and forth as it slowly but surely left the Usami's home.

It made soft creaking noises, reminding Misaki too clearly of how silent it was, and how lucky he was. A miracle indeed.

Akihiko sat across from Misaki and was looking out of the window. He admits that he was slightly upset about how this evening went, what with the boy at the spice store and then finding the same exact one being beaten by the side of his house. He of course didn't have a problem taking care of the boy, but Misaki had turned away from him and demanded (more of asked) to go home. Rude.

The older man turned back to look at the teen, who kept looking around the carriage in slight awe, as if he had never been in one before. "Have you never been in one before?" Akihiko asked, making Misaki jump a bit and he looked at the older man.

The teen tilted his head. "What?" He hadn't heard him.

Akihiko repeated, "Have you ever been in one before? A carriage I mean." He sat back and waited for Misaki to answer.

The boy looked at the carpeted floor of the vehicle. "Once, when I was real little." He mumbled and then looked up into Akihiko's eyes. "I'm real sorry about tonight." He said, fumbling with his sleeves again. "I must really annoy you. I promise you won't hear from me again." he said that last part quickly and a little bit quieter, as if he didn't want it to happen that way.

Akihiko breathed out, and you could see his breath. "I'd actually like to get to know you Misaki." at that, the boy look at him as if he were delusional, so the Usami went on to explain, "Well, I've run into you three times now, and you seem interesting. I'd like to get to know you."

Misaki shook his head. "I'm boring." He stated simply, "All I do is farm and sell my things in market, if that's interesting then you need to get to know half the town." 

Akihiko nodded, "I could, couldn't I?" He asked no one, and then all was quiet.

Misaki continued to look around and feel the velvet of the seats until the carriage came to a halt and the teen looked out the window. "We're here then." He stood and crouched a little so his head wouldn't hit the roof. "Umm... Well, goodbye.. I guess." He opened the door and took his things in his arms and stepped out, then he turned for one final farewell. "Thanks again." and he smiled.

Akihiko had his chin resting in his hand, then he smiled back. "You're welcome." He leaned forward and closed the door. Misaki heard a loud thump and it took off again, first it had to turn around, and then it set off. For some reason, even though the older man couldn't see him, Misaki waved goodbye.

He felt slightly foolish for doing so, and he blushed, but no one was around to see him so he turned and walked up to his house, unlocked it, and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "Ah.." He sighed and put his things down, then set off for his bedroom. "What a night." He didn't change out of Akihiko's clothing so he slept in them. He liked how they smelled, very clean.

That night it snowed.


	3. Love is Patient

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _His urges to kiss and hold and make love to that man. To confess his love and be loved back, it hurt, it hurt not being able to do anything about it but just sit there and watch and have him view you as nothing more than a friend._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Alrighty! I am soooo sososososo sorry that chapter three took so long! After I did chapter one and two in the sum of two weeks, I went back to school and it just got in the way, and I lost interest in writing this story. (I didn't lose interest in the story itself, just writing it).
> 
> Anyway yes, I'm soso sorry this took so long, but I hope you all like it! I worked really hard on this and went through an edited it like mad, but if there's any misspelled things or grammar mistakes, feel free to tell me and I'll change it~!
> 
> Also I hope you guys don't mind me giving Misaki a habit of fiddling with things. I find it so cute when people do that, and Misaki is super cute.
> 
> \-----------------------------------------------------

Misaki dreamed of Akihiko that night, except the man had turned into a silver haired rabit and kept pestering Misaki with clothes and on being nice. Misaki woke up late the next morning, much to his aggravation, but it really couldn't be helped. He immediately set out to work but only as quickly as his injuries would allow. He put on his freshest pair of clothes, leaving the boots and gloves by the door so he could eat a small breakfast before setting about to do his work. He slipped on his boots and gloves. He grabbed the scarf hanging on a hook and wrapped it gently around his face, making sure to not hurt his broken nose.

He set to work immediately. Misaki had an assortment of crops on his farm, ranging from fruits to vegetables. Bush bean, sweet bell peppers, lettuce, apricots, elder berries, corn, onions, garlic, leeks, mushrooms, the list went on. Luckily, only a couple of his crops froze and were badly damaged, but it still got to him. Misaki needed all the crops he could get, and last night's snow did not help his survival rate. Even so, he was able to harvest most of the fields, and remove the snow from the others. He worked late into the night, and by the end of it all his fingers were stiff with cold and his muscles ached for him to rest. He had a decent sized bin filled up with his food and enough to sell at the market next week, so he was happy. 

Misaki sauntered back inside, his hands under his arm pits to keep them warm. Along with the farming he did today, he had chopped some firewood, having placed them inside earlier to dry. He went into his bedroom and grabbed the blanket from his bed, bringing it with him to the chair by the fireplac. He set it down and tossed a few logs into the pit, fumbling with the matches but soon lighting it all on fire. 

At first, Misaki sat rather close to the fire, soaking in it's warmth, but after a while the heat was too much for him and he sat back in the chair, leaning back and looking up at the cieling.

Perhaps tomorrow he would go out into the forest by his farm. The land around the mountain town was rich in herbs and spices, so maybe from now on Misaki would gather them from the trees and plants rather than spending money on them, it would save him a lot.

\---------------------------------------------------

"Misaki, a pleasure seeing you again." A deep voice sounded out in the small store, making Misaki jump and turn towards it.

Akihiko was standing a little behind him, smiling down at him. They were in the local toy store where a nice old man and his wife would make stuffed animals to sell to the people. Misaki always liked it in here, ever since he was a kid, and now he was in here to buy a teddy bear for his nephew, Mahiro, seeing how Christmas was just around the corner.

It had been a couple of months since he had last seen the youngest Usami, and Misaki looked up at him with a shy smile in return, not knowing exactly what to say other than, "Hello.. Again."

Akihiko stepped up beside him, noticing a small toy bear in the brunette's hands, which Misaki was fiddling with. "Buying for someone?" He asked.

Misaki nodded, looking down at his hands. "Yeah." He said, looking back up at Akihiko and takinga step back to compensate for the height difference. "It's for my nephew. It's his first christmas." He smiled, putting the toy back and picking up a bigger one. "What about you?"

Akihiko smiled, "I am buying a bear for my collection." He replied, picking up a small figurine. "Such as this one," He said, showing it to Misaki. "I only have three of these."

The teen stared at the man, tilting his head. "You... Collect bears?" Weird... Misaki thought. He looked at the pile of bears in front of him and picked one up. "What about this one?" He asked, "How much do you have?"

"'How many.'" Akihiko corrected. "And I have over one hundred, I believe." 

Misaki nearly choked. He spluttered and put the bear that he was holding back on the rack while Akihiko gave him a strange look. "Over a hundred?" The teen asked, staring wide eyed at the man in front of him. "Why would you collect so many?"

Akihiko shrugged and dismissed the boy's inquiry with a wave of his hand.

Misaki picked up on the hint that the older man didn't want to talk about it so he turned and picked up a medium sized bear with a blank expression on it's face and a red ribbon tied around it's neck. "Well, this one's cute, isn't it?" Misaki said, trying to keep the conversation going. "I like the ribbon."

Akihiko looked down at him and nodded. "That bear takes up most of my collection. I favor it."

"Do you name them?"

"Yes..." Akihiko said, then shook his head. "No, no, I don't."

Misaki smiled and handed the bear to the older man, who took it in his hands carefully. "Well you should name them." the teen replied, smiling kindly up at him. "Suzuki's a nice name, right?" Misaki prompted.

Akihiko paused, fondling the bear in his hands. He looked at Misaki, who's grin was now faltering at the Usami's silence. "It's cute, Takahashi." He finally said. The Usami smiled seeing the teen's shoulders relax. "I like it."

Misaki's smile brightened and he turned away, picking up a cheap little bear. "I think I'll get this for my nephew." He said softly, twalking around Akihiko to the front counter. He payed for it, stuffing it in the bag he was given.

Akihiko watched him doing all this. It seemed Misaki had just enough to pay for the bear, which meant he would probably be going home right after this little trip, and Akihiko knew they wouldn't speak after this. For some odd reason, the Usami didn't want to see him go, not just yet.

Misaki bid the shop owner and Akihiko farewell and stepped out of the shop, but it seemed that as soon as he exited the store, he was on full alert. The Usami knew why, it was in fear. It had been over two months since their last encounter, even then, those men were probably still giving Misaki a hard time. Even if they weren't, to be ruled by fear every time you went into town was a sad thought.

Akihiko put the teddy bear down, following after the teen, who was walking rather quickly, but he quickly caught up and stepped up next to the teen, breathing heavily. "You should slow down." He breathed, "Wouldn't want to bump into anyone now."

Misaki instantly stopped, looking around, noticing that there was barely anyone on the streets. He thought that it was just Akihiko being weird, so he just looked up at him confused. His face was flushed from the cold, which Akihiko thought was rather cute.

"S-sorry." Misaki apologized, looking away.

Akihiko smiled, adjusting his gloves on his hands. "Have lunch with me." he said suddenly and with an air of ease.

Misaki gave him a bewildered look, taking a step back to look him fully in the face. "Me?" He wondered aloud. "I dunno.. Uh.. Sir." He mumbled, fiddling with his thumbs. "I don't have any money left, and I don't want you to waste money on me." He trailed off, smiling shyly.

Akihiko shook his head and put an arm around Misaki's shoulders, leading him in a different direction. Of course, Misaki tried to resist, making up excuses and trying to push the older man away, but Akihiko was persistant, and soon convinced him to eat him with him, whether he liked it or not.

They had decided to stop at a nice little eatery with Akihiko ordering it to go, having one of the servers had it placed in a little container, and they set off for the taller man's home.

When they arrived, and Akihiko let the teen in first, holding the door open for Misaki (causing the younger man to bow slightly in thanks) before closing the door behind him. He slipped off his boots, ordering Misaki to do the same, then went into the kitchen, leaving the brunette to stand awkwardly in the doorway, looking around nervously.

His house is huge, Misaki thought, much bigger than my little cottage, but that is expected... I guess.

Akihiko had set down their lunch and looked around, expecting the Teen to be right behind him, but he wasn't. The man rubbed the back of his neck and called out to him.

Misaki was torn from his thoughts at Akihiko's voice. He walked into the other room quietly. "Yes..?" He answered, looking into the kitchen.

"What are you doing over there?" Akihiko asked. "Come and eat."

The kitchen was large too, and Misaki had to stop himself from gaping. It had two working stoves, a sink, and an oven. There was a little window looking into the living room on the left side and a small island counter in the middle, to the side was a dining table and four chairs with their food set out on top.

"Take a seat, Misaki." Akihiko said, his back to him.

Misaki was playing with the hem of his shirt, unsure of what he should do. I don't belong here in his house. I feel completely out of place! Misaki thought frantically.

He looked at the place where his food sat, so he took a seat, his hands folded in his lap. Desperately not wanting to be there.

Akihiko had rolled his sleeves up and took his seat opposite of Misaki, he looked at the teen, who was blushing madly. "Aren't you going to eat..?"

Misaki didn't answer.

"What's wrong now?" Akihiko asked, taking some chop sticks in his hand. "You ate last time you were here." he pointed out.

"That... was different. I was almost beaten to death... I was in shock." Misaki replied. "I feel like I don't belong here..."

Akihiko frowned. "You're rather shy all of a sudden."

Misaki's blushed deepened. "Wouldn't you be? I mean.." He looked up at him, his expression desperate. "If you were a commoner like me, and was suddenly in some rich guy's house... I mean.. I don't mean it in a bad way.."

Akihiko smiled, leaning forward. "I think you just fancy me." 

"Don't say such a thing!" Misaki exclaimed, crossing his arms, but at his accusation, Akihiko almost looked hurt for a second, but it quickly dissapeared. "Be-besides, maybe you take a fancy in me, asking me to lunch in your house and all." He pouted.

Akihiko quickly smiled, "But of course I do." He said simply.

Misaki stared at him, completely embarassed. He picked up his chop sticks and started eating. "Stop joking.. It's weird." 

Akihiko chuckled, picking up a small bit of food with his chopsticks and putting it in his mouth, humming slightly.

They ate in silence, Misaki picking at his food, and Akihiko quickly finishing his. It was only when they were both done that the older man stood and grabbed the dishes, placing them in the sink. He turned to the teen and asked, "So what do you do for a living, Misaki?"

Misaki was finally starting to ease into the enviroment around him, so he looked up at Akihiko and answered quietly. "I.. Farm and sell my crops in the market." He replied, standing from his spot. Akihiko cleared the counter and threw away the left overs and faced Misaki, dusting his hands off. The brunette let out a sigh, "I think I should be going."

Akihiko was a little startled, putting a hand on his hip. "Why would you want to leave?" he asked.

"It's not like I don't like you, Mr. Akihiko, it's just... I feel really awkward being here, and I need to get home to finish chores." Misaki stammered, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't get me wrong, Sir, this was really nice of you and I really want to do something in return, because you've spent money on me twice now and all I've done is cause you trouble."

"Nonsense!" Akihiko exclaimed. "I did this because I wanted to, not because I felt I had to."

"But we barely know each other--"

"Then let us get to know eachother, shall we?" Akihiko interrupted, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room, where Misaki felt obliged to follow.

"But why get to know me?" Misaki asked, his heart beating hard against his chest, his confusion clouding any reasonable thought he might have had.

"Because I think you're interesting." Akihiko replied without turning around.

"Th-there has to be a better reason than that! I'm boring!" Misaki interjected, getting more and more frustrated with each passing second.

"I certainly don't think so." Akihiko responded, finally turning around to face the fuming teen. "I find you interesting enough to buy you lunch, isn't that enough?"

Almost instantly, Misaki felt ashamed. He was accusing a man he didn't even know for something that was out of his control, even after all that he done for him. He hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah.. I'm sorry I shouted." He apologized, taking a step back. "I shouldn't be getting upset, sorry." Misaki turned towards the door. "But I really should be leaving. It's been really nice, thank you." He bowed awkwardly, going to the front door and putting his boots and jacket back on, leaving.

Misaki ran back home.

\----------------------------

The next day, Misaki got a surprise visit from Akihiko. Misaki was in the middle of putting on his gloves for work when he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of someone knocking on the door.

Of course the teen was more cautious about letting people in, so he called out, asking who it was, only to be reassured that it was indeed the youngest Usami. 

He let him in, welcoming him into his little home and apologizing for the mess because he wasn't expecting him. But the older man said that it was alright, and he liked smaller homes like this, dirty or not.

"It's quaint, I like it." Akihiko said, looking into the kitchen. Misaki's home was rather small, consisting of only a bedroom, living room, a guest bedroom (that Misaki used for putting his tools in), and the kitchen, where they were now standing. "May I have the grand tour?" He asked.

Misaki shrugged nervously, leading the taller man out into the hall. "Well... That's the kitchen.." He laughed quietly, hoping to ease the awkwardness. "Umm down there's the bedroom." He said, walking a little ways and passing the living room. "Thats the fireplace, living room area." Misaki said. Akihiko nodded and kept following, rather closely, Misaki added. "And here's the guest bedroom, but I keep all my tools in there. Right across the hall is my bedroom." He said, turning towards Akihiko. "That's about it."

They walked back into the living room and talked for awhile, albeit not a lot. Misaki made him some stew and Akihiko talked about how he had never had food cooked by a commoner before and that, to his surprise, it was quite delicious. Misaki didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or an insult.

It took awhile, but the teen finally started to loosen up around the other man. Misaki took him outside and showed him the different crops and told him a few of the things that he planted there. Misaki learned that Akihiko inheirted most of his money from his grandfather, but Akihiko made his own living by writing and publishing books that he shipped to england. To say the least, Misaki was impressed.

Soon, though, their fun ended and Misaki had to get to work maintaining everything on his farm.

"Alright." Akihiko said, sitting down at the table in the kitchen. "I will wait here until you're done."

"You really don't have to do that." Misaki argued. "I don't want you to get bored or anything."

"Oh I'll entertain myself, don't worry." Akihiko replied, smiling softly. Misaki blushed and turned towards the door, grabbing his cloak and walking away awkwardly, leaving with a curt nod.

Every now and then Misaki would go inside and check on the man to see if he was alright. He stayed for most of the day until finaly, Akihiko's carriage showed up. They their goodbyes and Misaki continued to work until sundown, but his mind was somewhere else the rest of the day, constantly thinking of Akihiko. He was mainly wondering why the man took interest in him. The more he thought about it, the more he was confused by it. Surely he had an alternative motive.

\-------------------------------------------

"I go in the woods behind my house every so often." Misaki said, replying to a question Akihiko had asked. "Just to hunt and gather herbs."

Akihiko nodded, sitting across from where Misaki sat at the table.

They were at Misaki's farm, peeling potatoes in the late afternoon, around dinner time. (really it was more of 'Akihiko attempting to peel potatoes but then Misaki had to take it from him and do it correctly'). But at least he's trying. Misaki thought, smiling to himself. It's the thought that counts. 

It had been a couple of days since his last visit, Thursday, but now it was Sunday, the only day Misaki took off.

"Is it just more convenient then?" Akihiko asked, leaning back in his chair and grabbing a potato that was placed there for him to peel.

"In a way, yes." Misaki answered, placing a peeled potato in a little wooden bowl with others. "It's more time consuming, and at first it was hard, but now I like going out there, and I save money." He shrugged. "Mr. Usami, you only ask about me, but what about you?"

The man shrugged. "What about me?" Akihiko replied, looking at him.

Misaki paused, setting down the peeler. "Well... What else do you like to do instead of write and collect teddy bears?" The teen asked, looking the older man in the eyes.

"I smoke." The other man said, taking the peeler from Misaki's side of the table and peeling his own potato, rather slowly, actually. "I eat, sleep, and drink coffee."

The brunette chuckled, holding out his hand for the stuff in Akihiko's. "There's not much to you, is there?" He wondered aloud. "What else do you like?"

Akihiko handed Misaki the peeler and the vegetable. "Well of course I like you." He joked, grabbing a clean piece of cloth that was set aside and wiped his hands off on it. He looked at the teen, who was blushing, and he smiled. "Let's see, shall we?" Akihiko finally said. "I enjoy the sunset here in the mountains, and the cherry blossoms in the spring." He leaned forward, "I like the smell of pine trees after in rains, don't you?"

"That's a lot of things that you like, I guess." Misaki laughed sheepishly. "I like those things too, it's real pretty up here." The teen smiled, standing from his spot and grabbing the bowl of peeled potatoes and placed them on the counter, wiping his hands on his apron. "Lemme go see if the water's all boiled." He said, walking into the other room. A few minutes went by with random noises coming from the living room, mainly a few mumbled curses curtosy of Misaki.

He came back in and grabbed the bowl from the counter, looking at Akihiko. "Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" He asked.

Akihiko held up his hand. "I'm quite alright." He replied and stood, standing behind Misaki. "You're quite interesting, Misaki, I must admit."

The brunette turned around, blushing. "You keep saying that, but I think you have me confused for someone else." Despite his modesty, the teen gave him a small smile. "But thanks, I guess."

Akihiko smiled back, patting the boy on the shoulder. He reached a hand into his pocket and pulled out a watch, which was attached to a chain. "Well I must be going." The man said, placing the pocket-watch back to its original place. "It has been a real pleasure, I'm glad that I came over." Akihiko stuck out his hand to Misaki. "I will see you soon then?"

The teen took the other man's hand in his own and shook. "Y-yeah." He blushed, "Thanks for stopping by, Mr. Usami, I don't get much visitors." Misaki admitted.

"You don't get many visitors, you mean." Akihiko corrected.

"Right... Many. I'll have to keep that in mind." Misaki replied, holding back any retort that could insult his guest, instead he opted for walking Akihiko to the door, "I'll see you later Sir."

Akihiko ruffled his hair, causing the boy to grumble and straighten it out. The Usami left with his farewell and retrieved his horse from the boy's stables. He mounted it, waved one last time, and trotted away. Misaki only went back inside when the man had dissapeared over the horizon.

\-----------------------------------------

Christmas had come and gone. Misaki kept up the family tradition of making his stew for winter and shared it with his new friend, Akihiko Usami, who enjoyed it greatfully saying that it was the best thing he had ever eaten, but Misaki silently disagreed.

Akihiko had stopped by every time he was able now and him and Misaki became fast friends. It got to the point where Misaki figured what days his friend was free and what days his friend was avoiding his work. I.e., Akihiko became more needy the days he was avoiding his work. Misaki had to practically nag him to go finish it, and they now called each other by their first names.

On Christmas, Misaki made it a mission to stop by The Usami's house to deliver his present, which was a hand made (curtosy of Misaki) teddy bear wood carving. His friend was very happy to recieve it and had bought the teen a new cloak for the rest of the winter, and the winters that followed. It was gorgeous, to say the least. Brand new, thick, and made from tough, heavy material, great for keeping people warm.

They had spent a good hour together, talking about nonsense things, before Misaki had to leave to make it to his brother's house on time for their holliday celebrations. He gave his nephew the present that he had bought for him and Takahiro commented on his new cloak, which he gladly wore. Misaki said that someone made it for him, hiding the fact that one of his friends was one of the richest men in the village. 

The teen spent the greater part of the night at his brother's house until he decided that it was getting late and he needed to get home in time to wake up. He hugged everyone goodbye, wishing them a happy holliday, and left, a new sort of bounce in his step. Today had gone by well, and he enjoyed himself.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

11 Months Later - November 4th, 1848.

The day was cold and bitter, having snowed the previous two days. Even in the sanctity of his home, Akihiko still felt the chill. He had a chair seated next to the window where he was now sitting, and he looked out into the snow covered world. The sky had dark, looming clouds, promising more snow to fall. He sighed, and he could see his breath come out in a white puff of air. 

Akihiko stood from his spot and went to the kitchen, where he re-filled his mug of coffee. He took a tentative sip, deaming it too hot, before he placed it down, licking his lips from the sting of the coffee.

His mind drifted to Misaki, who was busy today going to market. He never went and bothered him on these days, unless he himself needed something from the town square, but he could tell that Misaki needed this time to sell his things and to earn money. Sadly, there was something there that the boy was not telling Akihiko, and he tried to pry, but Misaki never let up. 

Things had been going better for the teen though. He had started going out into the woods not only to gather, but to hunt as well. He would Sell the furs in the market, along with his crops and plants. He was earning more money now, and he was more than happy. Unfortanetly, with winter around the corner, he had to work more hours, and the more hours he worked, the less time was spent with his friend.

Akihiko minded, a lot. He was selfish, and wanted to keep the boy all to himself, but he understood that business came first, and a social life came later. Still, he couldn't help but have unwanted feelings towards him. 

He shook his head, taking a sip from his coffee. Akihiko shouldn't feel like this, not now. After his entire life of practically avoiding any temptation, or any want or need to be with another, why should it happen now? Because he didn't think it would happen with someone ten years younger than him? Perhaps. That's why he befriended the boy, because he thought nothing to come of it.

Akihiko was wrong, and when he walked back into the living room, sitting on the couch and staring up at the cieling, he couldn't help but think about Misaki.

It was true, the man had fallen hopelessly and desperately in love with the boy, and having known him for over a year, it was hard to hold back his urges.

His urges to kiss and hold and make love to that man. To confess his love and be loved back, it hurt, it hurt not being able to do anything about it but just sit there and watch and have him view you as nothing more than a friend.

Akihiko blinked and set down his mug on a little end table. He leaned forward and checked the clock hung up on the wall. Maybe he would go visit Misaki today, in hopes of just seeing him. He would go to him and fuel his unhealthy relationship with Misaki. It couldn't be helped.

Akihiko waited until it was nearly night time before going over. He thought about all that he had learned from Misaki. He had an older brother, Takahiro, and a sister-in-law, Minami, and a nephew, Mahiro (who, according to Misaki, was extremely adorable). His parents had died when Misaki was very young, but he didn't care to tell why, so Akihiko didn't pry.

The Usami didn't tell Misaki much about himself, just that he liked collecting toys due to a bad childhood (he never explained why), and that he had an Older brother and a father, his mother having died years before.

He strode through his house, still in deep thought, when his butler, Tanaka, came wondering over.

Now Tanaka was with his family for awhile, with smoothed back, dark hair, wrinkles due to old age, and a kind disposition, he was The youngest Usami's favorite servant. "Good even sir." Tanaka greeted cheerfully, bowing.

"Tanaka, good, you're here." Akihiko said, turning to the other man. "Go and prepare my horse."

The butler looked at him quizzicaly. "At this hour, sir?" he asked.

"I'm going over to Misaki's, so ready everything." Akihiko said, sending a slight glare towards his servant. Tanaka bowed obedietely and went out to do what he was told. Akihiko went to his bedroom and grabbed his winter coat, which was thick and long, reaching down past his knees. He put it on along with a scarf and and gloves. Akihiko left and went to the front door, where he slipped on his boots with ease and exited. 

Tanaka had just finished strapping the last harness on, so when Akihiko came over he handed him the reins and bowed, backing away. 

Akihiko mounted his horse and readied himself for the ride over. He backed his horse up, careful not to slip on any ice, and was on his way. The man started to think. His mind rarely drifted to work now a days, with his continued infatuation of his friend, work was always put to the side so he could spend time with him, but Misaki would fuss at him, and wouldn't let him visit, or come over unless his work was done. Another thing Akihiko admired about the boy. 

"I guess I can't call him a boy anymore." Akihiko said to himself with a chuckle. "He's twenty now.." His horse winnied. "And I am thirty, my my, how time flies." 

Sometimes, when he felt in the mood, he would write little scenarios about himself and Misaki down. If they ended up together, their sex life if they had one, or perhaps all his feelings would be returned and they would come together in an embrace and make love. Of course it was all just his personal work, and he prayed Misaki would never find them.

He was so deep into thought that he didn't notice he was already there at Misaki's home. Akihiko dismounted and patted the horse on the muzzle. "Good boy." He murmered and lead him to Misaki's stable. After awhile of Akihiko coming over, and asking to use his stable over and over, The boy finally just told him that he didn't need to ask, and that he could just put his horse there whenever he wanted. Besides, Misaki only had a muscle horse to help him with the fields, and it was currently sleeping.

Akihiko turned towards Misaki's little stone cottage and rubbed the back of his neck. He went to the front door and knocked, but no one came to the door. Weird. He knocked again, no response. He knocked for the third time but no answer.

Perhaps Misaki was out somewhere. "But this late?" Akihiko wondered aloud. He walked to the back of his house and in the bins, afraid maybe that those brutes got to him again and left him behind his house.. Again. But this was not the case, and The man was some what relieved. He circled back around to the front, about to give up and go home when he saw a figure emerging from the forest behind the farm.

At first, Akihiko couldn't make it out, and he stayed out of view, but soon the figure came closer, and the man could make out the familiar body shape of Misaki. He seemed to be carrying something, and his head was down, his chin tucked under his scarf and his arms held close to his body.

Akihiko walked out of the shadows, the snow crunching underneath his feet. Misaki jolted his head up and froze, prepared to make a run for it if he had to, but he immediately relaxed, seeing that it was his taller friend.

"Aki-ihiko.." The boy stuttered, nodding his head in greeting. "Wh-what are you doing here this late?"

Akihiko walked forward, meeting Misaki, who was still in his one spot. He put an arm around his friend's shoulders, something the young man was used to by now, and walked him forward. He took a look at the two sacks that Misaki was carrying and estimating which one was heaviest, took that one from him. Misaki muttered a quick "Thank you."

"I came to see you. We haven't talked in some time, you know." Akihiko replied, smiling down at him.

Misaki gave him a look. "Are y-you just avoiding doing your w-work again?" He asked with a huff.

"Of course not." Akihiko quickly lied, but hid it well by adding a smile to the end of his sentence.

Misaki grunted and shivered. Now that the man had a better look at him, he could tell just how freezing Misaki was. His cheeks were red and his nose was running. His teeth chattered and he seemed more stiff, when he usually wasn't.

"How long were you out there anyway?" Akihiko asked, pulling Misaki closer.

"U-umm.." Misaki looked up at his friend. "Since... E-evening.. I-I think?" Misaki looked back down and shrugged. "We can ta-talk more once I'm warmed up."

Akihiko nodded and they hurried on inside, with the occasional stumble on Misaki's part. They both took their shoes off at the entrance, but Misaki didn't bother with anything else. They put the sacks down by the door as well, and the younger man hurried into the living room, where logs were piled up by the fire pit. He tripped over his cloak, but didn't fall, and threw three logs in, quickly lighting the fire place and plopping down in front of it.

Akihiko sat behind him, staring at the back of his head until Misaki turned his body more to be facing his friend. "So." Akihiko began, leaning forward. "What were you doing out there? I saw that you brought some things home with you."

Misaki smiled. "I went hunting today!" he exclaimed. "I need to get as much as I can with winter coming around."

Akihiko smiled back and ruffled his friend's hair. "My little Misaki's growing up." he said, and the boy blushed. 

Misaki glared. "Don't treat me like a kid! I'm twenty, which means I'm a full on adult." He smirked. "Soon I'll even surpass you."

"I don't believe that's possible. I am ten years older than you." Akihiko pointed out.

"I didn't mean on age." Misaki replied, rolling his eyes, but his smile didn't falter. "I meant on maturity."

Akihiko let out a loud laugh, smothering it with his hand. "You have to be joking. You're still a virgin."

The other man's cheeks instantly went red and he hid his face, pouting. "Don't point stupid stuff out, you idiot." Misaki muttered, poking the fire and moving logs around.

Akihiko laughed again, but it was softer this time. "Don't worry Misaki, one day someone will finally find you attractive and might make love to you."

Misaki kicked his friend in the shin. "I'm attractive!" he exclaimed, pouting even more. "Don't say it like it might happen! It'll definitely happen! I'm quite a ladies man, thank you very much."

"No you're not." The Usami stated, matter-of-factly.

"Why are we even talking about my non-existant sex life anyway?!" Misaki threw his hands up, getting a little grumpy. He turned his head towards the fire and backed up a little. "How long are you staying, anyway?"

Akihiko leaned back, supporting himself by his arms. "Want me gone already? I just arrived."

"I don't mean it like that, idiot, I'm just tired is all. I've been out working all day." Misaki replied, fiddling with his thumbs.

Akihiko smiled. Add to the list of reasons to like Misaki Takahashi, his adorable way of messing with things when he gets shy or nervous. 

"Couldn't I just spend the night?" The taller man asked, blowing a stray strand of hair of his face. "I like your house."

Misaki looked through the veil of his hair at Akihiko. "Even after knowing you for a year, I still can't fathom why you prefer my house over yours."

The man shrugged and stretched, his back making a cracking noise. "It's nicer than mine by far." He admitted. "Plus, it is a lot cleaner than my house."

"That's because you're a slob."

"Harsh."

"Whatever. Yeah, ok fine. You can stay the night." Misaki answered, getting up. "I'll prepare the guest room." He said and stood, stretching and sighing happily. "I feel lots better, now."

Akihiko stood as well. The taller man was lead by Misaki to the guest room, where a small bed was pushed to the corner (curtosy of Akihiko, because he spent the night a lot lately). Misaki left him to get undressed and to tend to the fire.

The silver haired man came out a few minutes later, his hair tossled from changing, and noticed Misaki, who was still sitting by the fire. 

He stared at his friend from behind and noticed something; Misaki looked deep in thought. He was staring at the fire, his knees to his chest with his arms wrapped around them and his chin resting on his knees. His mind was somewhere else, and Akihiko just wanted to admire him (and kiss him). He wanted to know what he was thinking, but he didn't ask. He stepped forward, purposely stepping on a sqeaking wood plank to grab Misaki's attention and went to sit by his side once more.

They stayed up and chatted for awhile, the whole time Akihiko just wanted to make love to him and kiss him and hold him, but of course he never acted on these feelings.

The fire went out and Misaki poored water on it as a last measure.

The two men went to their seperate bed rooms and Misaki fell asleep almost instantly, where as Akihiko stayed up for an hour and a half more, his mind too jumbled for sleep. But finally, Akihiko drifted off, his dreams including Misaki.


	4. Working Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the day was uneventful, but when he went to bed that night he had awkward dreams he couldn't quite put his finger on the next morning and he woke up hot and bothered and all he could think about was Akihiko. He proceeded to go to work, like any other day, and eat supper late, just like always, and go to bed. Again that night he had weird, uncomfortable dreams and he knew for a fact that Akihiko was the issue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Im super sorry this chapter is so late! But at least you'll get this one and the next two! It took forever to write three chapters down within a couple weeks, but it was worth it and honestly I feel like Usagi-san right now I need to do the sleep thing.
> 
> But here's chapter four! Enjoy!

The day was a warm one, Misaki could tell. It was only morning, and the sun had barely risen over the mountain tops, but the air around him was nice and cool. Akihiko was still asleep in the house and Misaki was outside, just releshing in the day before it officially started. He looked up at the golden, pink sky, and smiled. He was happy, and he didn't know why in particular. Maybe it was just the promise of a good day, or a good week, heaven knows he's in need of one of those, and his mind drifted soon after and before he knew it, the sun was shining down on him, warming his exposed skin. Misaki leaned up against his small house, feeling the stone texture through his cloak. He decided that now was a good time to wake his friend up and send him on his way home so he could get on with his own chores. He pushed himself forward, stumbling a bit, before rounding around the corner and entering the home, slowly dragging his boots off his feet. 

 

He listened to the echo of his foot steps while he walked down the hall to Akihiko's room. Misaki turned to the door and knocked a few times and let himself in. "Akihiko." He said, "Time to wake up."

 

The greeting in return was a resounding groan, and Misaki prepared himself for what was coming. Akihiko began to shift under his covers and balled up in a ball. He lifted his head slightly from the pillow and glared at the younger man. Unfazed, Misaki walked further in and mustered up what he could to give his friend a stern look. "Don't do that," he fussed, "Come on Akihiko, get up."

 

The older man responded with another grunt. "It's too god damn cold." he finally said. "I don't want to."

 

Misaki frowned. "I told you to wear thicker clothes when you decide to sleep over here. I know you plan to come over when you do. Its never a spur of the moment kind of thing with you."

 

"How can you possible know that?" Akihiko replied, turned, and sat up, pulling the blanket up around him. He looked like a child to Misaki.

 

"Because you're my best friend," Misaki replied, turning and walking to the door. "And I know you. So get up." Misaki didn't wait for a reply, just left and closed the door behind him. He heard Akihiko through the wall, grumbling and cursing while he pushed himself out of bed and started to get dressed. Misaki smiled and shook his head. 

 

He walked to the little sitting room by the fire place, taking note that he would have to clean it up soon. Footsteps echoed behind him and he turned around and was greeted with a face that could freeze hell over. Akihiko stood over him with a shadow covering his eyes. He glared down at Misaki with crossed arms and a deep frown set on his face, but Misaki was used to it. The boy gave him a harsh glare in return.

 

"You know," Akihiko said darkly, unrelenting in his stare. "It's unhealthy for any human being to wake up this early." 

 

"What's unhealthy is to sleep as late as you always do." Misaki countered. 

 

They stood in silence for a few minutes, just glaring at each other before Misaki's lips twitched into a smile. The effect was almost instantaneous as both of the men keeled over with laughter. Akihiko leaned over and grabbed his knees for support as Misaki was almost doubled over with his laughing. Only a minute passed before they could control themselves again. As Akihiko straightened he reached a hand over and patted Misaki's back softly, still chuckling. 

 

Misaki looked up at him pushed pass with a huge grin on his face and he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming rush of happiness. 'Oh yes,' he thought as he entered the kitchen with Akihiko only a step behind. 'Today is going to be a good one.' 

 

"So Misaki, whats for breakfast?" Akihiko asked and put his arm around the boy's shoulders. Misaki stood there for a moment, thinking, before reaching into a cabinet and pulling out some eggs and reaching into another to pull out some bread. 

 

"I don't have much--"

 

"You rarely do." Akihiko interrupted.

 

Misaki frowned and pushed Akihiko's arm off from around his shoulders. "I don't have much but we could just fry up some eggs over the wood stove and eat it on the bread." He finished and walked to another part of the cabinet where some apples were sitting and he picked two up. "And an apple."

 

Akihiko slumped against the wall and smiled. "Sounds good to me."

 

Misaki laughed lightly. He turned away from his friend to put some wood on for the stove and turn it on. He pulled out a beaten up tin frying pan and put it on the burner and waited for it to get hot enough so he could crack open the eggs and fry them up. While he waited he took out some small glass cups and tea leaves. 

 

"Would you like some tea?" Misaki asked Akihiko, who was just watching him work in silence.

 

"Any tea made by Misaki is good tea to me." Akihiko replied.

 

Misaki blushed and put the cups on the table and set a kettle filled with water and the leaves on the burner. "You know, you always say weird stuff like that." 

 

"Obviously." Akihiko said. 

 

When it was clear that Akihiko wasn't going to elaborate, Misaki sat at the table and looked up at him. "Obviously what?" he asked.

 

Akihiko sighed and took a seat as well before resting his chin in his hands. "Obviously its because I am weird myself." He replied finally. "Or so you tell me."

 

Misaki shook his head but couldn't keep the small smile from his face. He had learned that these responses were extremely common from Akihiko. It was part of his sense of humor. Dry, sarcastic, blunt. It was funny, Misaki thought, because he was sure he wouldn't like this personality trait in anyone else. He himself wasn't sarcastic in the least and the jokes Akihiko threw his way would probably not make any sense if anyone else said them to Misaki, but he supposed that made his friendship with Akihiko even better. He understood him better than anyone else in town and to be honest, it made him feel a little more confident about the way he held himself.

 

The sound of the kettle going off on its high pitched rampage shook Misaki out of his thoughts and he jumped to his feet in a panic. He dashed over to the stove and grabbed the kettle and placed it somewhere else and immediately the whistle quieted and became nonexistent. He decided now was high time to put the eggs on the pan.

 

"So how many eggs you want?" Misaki asked while wringing his hands.

 

Akihiko peered up at him and made a humming sound before saying that he just wanted two.

 

The two of them ate breakfast rather quickly after that, talking and chatting in between bites. Misaki was the first to get done because Akihiko would pause every now and then to stare at a piece of egg that had fallen off the bread before returning his attention back to his food. Soon, Misaki was clearing the table and fixing themselves another cup of tea.

 

"Ok so after this you'll have to leave."

 

"I can't even stay just a few more minutes?" 

 

"I mean, you don't have to leave right this second so yeah a few more minutes is fine but I really need to get started. I'm planting more crops today and I need to feed and take care of the horses." Misaki replied, sitting down. He reached over to the kettle to pour himself a cup of tea. As he lifted it though, the bottom knocked into Akihiko's cup, causing it to spill out over onto Akihiko's shirt and pants.

 

Akihiko jolted out of his seat, hissing at the sting of the hot tea and Misaki pushed back from the table and grabbed a rag he had hanging over one of the seats. He grabbed Akihiko by his shoulder and pressed the rag onto his shirt, spilling out apology after apology. 

 

"I'm a klutz, Akihiko, I'm real sorry!" Misaki said, rubbing at the fabric. "I hope it doesn't stain!"

 

"It won't stain just--" Akihiko pulled Misaki's hand away that was holding the rag and grabbed it himself, "Give me that, and I'll go change." He said and turned and walked out of the kitchen and to his bedroom.

 

Misaki stare after him and bit his lower lip. Misaki thought that perhaps Akihiko was upset with him because he was worried about his shirt staining, and not if he was ok. He panicked a little, because Akihiko was so rich so he thought that of course he would have expensive clothing. Misaki was worried about him, but Akihiko left so quickly he must be upset. Misaki shook his head and returned his attention towards cleaning up the table and placing the kettle and cups on the counter and straightening everything else up. When he was done he walked down the hall to Akihiko's bedroom, knocked, and entered.

 

Akihiko was still getting dressed. He had put on new pants and was reaching for a shirt that he had laying on the bed. Misaki stared at him a little. He wasn't going to lie to himself about this, Akihiko was very good looking. Not just in the face but his body as well. Naturally skinny and he had a natural build to himself. Misaki knew for a fact that Akihiko didn't work out, but a high metabolism helps in that area.

 

The last time Misaki had seen Akihiko without a shirt was when Akihiko decided to help Misaki on his farm and it had been a hot summer day, so he had stripped himself of his shirt and complained the rest of the day while he worked about being tired and hot and bored, so Misaki had sent him home. But he couldn't help but have a little mental freak out at the time because he liked what he had seen when his friend undressed and he shouldn't have. This time was no different. Misaki watched Akihiko's muscles flex as he put the shirt on and Misaki's face went bright red. 

 

'Damn it, not this shit again.' He thought as he tried to urge any feelings that he was feeling to go away. 'I promised I wouldn't act this way again!' He mentally cursed at himself and made a silent promise to make sure Akihiko was dressed the next time he decided to barge into one of his rooms. 

 

Akihiko stared at Misaki and smiled. "Wanted to apologize again for burning my skin off?"

 

"Hey I did not burn your skin off, I only scolded it." Misaki replied, turning around. "I'll go ready your horse." and he rushed out of the room and out of the house. 

 

With the saddle laced on and the reins ready to go, Akihiko's horse was ready. Misaki rounded the house from the stables in the back to find his friend waiting by the front door, looking completely and utterly bored. He punched him in the arm as a greeting and Akihiko placed a hand where Misaki had punched and smiled.

 

"There you are." Akihiko said and placed an arm around Misaki's shoulders. "Is she ready for me?"

 

"All saddled up." Misaki replied, leading him to the back. "You've been here long enough."

 

"I know I know, you have to make a living, and I'm too distracting." Akihiko laughed and turned to face his friend. "You should visit in a couple weeks, help me clean up my house."

 

"Don't you have Seba- I mean Tanaka to do that for you?" Misaki asked, pulling away.

 

"I do, but I mean with organization." Akihiko replied as he walked over to his horse and pulled her out from the stables. "You're good with that thing, Misaki, I'd like you to help me."

 

"I'll think about it." 

 

"Then that's a definite yes."

 

"I said I'll think about it. That doesn't mean yes Akihiko."

 

"Oh but with you," Akihiko paused to get on his horse. "It's always a yes." and before Misaki could argue he rode his horse away from the boy and down the road.

 

Misaki yelled a few curses at his friend and stomped his foot. "That god damn bastard," he kicked a rocked that was by his foot, "So full of himself."

 

The rest of the day was uneventful, but when he went to bed that night he had awkward dreams he couldn't quite put his finger on the next morning and he woke up hot and bothered and all he could think about was Akihiko. He proceeded to go to work, like any other day, and eat supper late, just like always, and go to bed. Again that night he had weird, uncomfortable dreams and he knew for a fact that Akihiko was the issue.

 

That following Thursday Misaki went to town, hoping to get Akihiko off of his mind. He was getting more jumpy than usual, suddenly afraid that somehow someone had seen into his dreams and would follow him home and beat him. The dreams about Akihiko were definitely inappropriate, unwanted visions. But he always had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that the dreams were nice and he liked them. This time instead of selling his crops- because they were still in the process of growing- he went to town to buy a few things he would need and sell some furs he had saved up over a few months of hunting in the woods. 

 

As it turns out, Haruhiko was just as interested in buying Misaki's furs as he was in buying his produce. He didn't think much of it, just that Misaki was the only commoner that Haruhiko was willing to tolerate.

 

So when he arrived at Haruhiko's place, he walked in just like any other day. Unfortunately he was still shy around Akihiko's older brother, so he bowed his greeting and gave a quiet, "Good morning, Mr. Haruhiko sir."

 

The man- who was staring at a small clock on the wall near the counter- Turned to look at Misaki. "You seem to always show up at 8 o'clock." He remarked. "And good morning."

 

Misaki put his hands together to fiddle with his thumbs, an unconscious habit. "Uhhmm." He mumbled. "You.. Keep track?"

 

Haruhiko shook his head. "I just happened to notice, that does not mean I will expect you on a schedule." He said quietly.

 

Misaki nodded slowly, trying to understand. "Right.. Ok. Well... I have a number of furs here. Deer, coyote, rabbit, squirrel..." Misaki trailed off on naming all the furs he had collected over a long period of time.

 

Haruhiko held up his hand to stop the boy from talking. "The deer and coyote."

 

Misaki nodded quickly and pulled out the two furs and handed them over to Haruhiko. But when Haruhiko exchanged the money for the furs, he brushed his hand against Misaki's and the boy flinched away, dropping a coin.

 

"I apologize" Haruhiko said, grabbing the coin and giving it back to Misaki. "A slip of the hand, I assure you."

 

Misaki swallowed a lump in his throat. "It's ok!" he said loudly, trying to hide his nervousness and playing it off with a laugh. "Accidents happen!"

 

Haruhiko didn't reply to that and just stared at him. Misaki glanced away from him, deciding now was the best time to say his good byes. "So umm." He mumbled, fumbling with the furs in his hands. "I'll be going now."

 

Haruhiko nodded. "I'll see you next week then." He replied and took out his little notebook and pencil and scribbled something down once more.

 

Misaki turned and rushed out of the door, gathered his thoughts, and continued on with his day, all the more paranoid.

 

Even with everything troubling him, he still decided to visit Akihiko the following Sunday.

 

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Sunday came around and Misaki was more than disappointed. 

 

He had planned that this Sunday, a week earlier than when Akihiko was expecting him, he would pop on by to see if his friend was free to go hunting with him. But before Sunday could even come on by it had snowed two days prior, which meant that there probably wasn't any game around to hunt. Even so, as Misaki trudged up the hill towards Akihiko's house with his gun strapped around his shoulder, it would be good to get the author out of the house, seeing how he only did that when he visited Misaki. 

 

Still, Misaki's mind was still on the accident hand brushing incident that happened when he visited Haruhiko the week before. He stopped in his tracks and looked down at his feet. Why was it that whenever Akihiko put his arms around Misaki's shoulders he didn't even think twice about it or when he ruffled his hair all he did was grumble or shove Akihiko playfully but when Haruhiko barely touched him, he was almost frightened and freaked out. Could he really only feel safe around Akihiko?

 

Misaki shook his head. "Of course not." He muttered. "Its not like I'm in love with Akihiko, that's just dumb." Misaki looked up, his heart giving a painful cringe. He adjusted the gun around his shoulders and kept moving. Misaki sighed and watched the air spread out around him. He looked towards a line of trees by the road and frowned.

 

"Hunting with Akihiko today should take my mind off of it." He said to himself. "Remind me that we're just friends, nothing else."

 

He showed up at Akihiko's and was about to walk up to his house when something caught his eye. 

 

A carriage was parked outside, but none that Misaki recognized. It certainly wasn't Akihiko's, and the fanciness of it definitely spoke of how important the guest was that was visiting Akihiko. So Misaki took a step back and bit his bottom lip, having second thoughts about whether or not he should actually knock on the front door or come back another time. He didn't want to ruin any potential business deals that Akihiko could be having or a client that wanted to buy his works.

 

Maybe Misaki could just wait outside for him. But if the client saw a commoner waiting outside for someone as high class as Akihiko then they wouldn't want to have anything to do with the author. So he would leave, and come back another day. He turned around to depart when the door swung open with a bang, freezing Misaki in his steps.

 

"Takahashi?" Of course it was Haruhiko. Misaki turned and bowed his head. 

 

"Mr. Haruhiko!" He exclaimed, straightening up and smiling nervously. 

 

Haruhiko glared at Misaki who in turn frowned. He turned to the fancy carriage and got in. Before he closed the door he glanced once more at Misaki and his expression, for just a brief moment, was sad. Misaki thought it was a trick of the eye but before he could think twice about it, the door closed and the carriage set off down the hill.

 

Misaki turned back to Akihiko's home and sighed. 

 

"Close the DAMNED DOOR!!" A holler came from inside and Akihiko rounded the corner to the front. He blinked a couple of times at Misaki, his expression softening. "... Misaki..." Akihiko said softly. "What are you doing here?"

 

"Ummm!" Misaki said loudly, pointing back towards where the carriage had been. "Should I come at a different time maybe?"

 

Akihiko chuckled. "You couldn't have picked a better time to show up. Come on in Misaki." He stepped to the side, motioning for his friend to come in.

 

Misaki walked in quickly and set his gun by the front door and took off his and followed Akihiko to the living room. "Why was Mr. Haruhiko here?" he asked.

 

"To bother me, like he always does." Akihiko said with a sort of finality in his voice that made Misaki not want to question the subject any further. "So tell me, why are you here?"

 

"Umm well I was thinking we could go out hunting today. Since you don't really get out much." Misaki said. "But it just snowed so I don't know anymore."

 

"Well you're a week early." Akihiko said, turning to face his friend. "You could still help me clean."

 

Misaki nodded absently as he looked around the house which, in all honesty, was a huge mess. He felt bad for Tanaka always having to come back here and clean up after Akihiko. The least he could do was lesson the load on the poor guy and clean up as well.

 

"I don't know how you do it Akihiko but you manage to wreck this place up almost instantly after Tanaka or I straighten up." Misaki sighed but couldn't hold back a smile as he looked up at his friend. "I'll just pick the dirtiest room then."

 

Akihiko smiled back. "That would be the study, unfortunately." he said. "I'll fix you some tea."

 

Misaki was already walking around and called over his shoulder. "Heaven knows thats all you can do besides write." He joked and headed down the hall.

 

"No one asked for your opinion Misaki!" Akihiko called back, but Misaki could hear the lightness in his voice and knew he wasn't really angry. He reached the room and grabbed the handle, braced himself, and opened the door.

 

The study was a disaster. Papers were strewn everywhere and the stench of coffee hung thick in the air. Misaki frowned. Books were piled high in every corner of the room and the desk where Akihiko normally sat and wrote was cluttered with papers, ink, pens, and a type writer. Oh Misaki definitely had his work cut out for him. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and dove in.

 

He decided to start with some of the filing cabinets, just to reorganize them alphabetically. With the stuff that he didn't know what to do with he would just set to the side for Akihiko to ignore later. Then he set off to the books, stacking them by genre. If he didn't know what genre it was he would put it in a miscellaneous pile. 

 

Next was the desk, the one that Misaki was least looking forward to do. Nonetheless, he set to work at a steady pace. It was piled high with papers, some stained with ink or coffee and other crumpled up or torn and a lantern, dirty with grime, sat on top of some of the pages. He took the pens and ink and put them off to the side to deal with later and grabbed a handful of papers that had words scribbled across it.

 

"Must be a rough draft or... something." Misaki said to himself. He didn't really get the whole concept of what it took to write a book, only gathering together in his mind what Akihiko taught him. He looked down at the handful of papers in his hands anyway and started to noticed something on every page- His name.


	5. Hear Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blood, pain, fear. The bear struck, bone broke, Misaki's leg was bleeding and broken and it hurt so badly that he nearly lost consciousness. He fell back, landing hard and he screamed out in pain. The bear reared, ready to come crashing down on top of Misaki. Misaki readied his gun quickly, aimed, and fired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5! Wow what a trip! This chapter's song is "Hear Me" by Imagine dragons!

Misaki stared down at the papers in his hand, his heart thumping painfully against his chest in a wild panic.

Page after Page of fantasies written down of him and Akihiko. Misaki's hands started to tremble and his breath hitched. Misaki didn't know how to react, what to do. Should he yell? Keep cleaning? Go home like nothing happened? Like he hadn't just stumbled across some sick fantasy that Akihiko had where he and Misaki were in a sexual relationship?

He blinked several times, his mouth dry, his mind racing, his body numb. He looked around the room, stuck in this one spot. Of course, Misaki wouldn't actually call these stories sick. It wasn't like he didn't have dreams like this himself. But he ignored them, kept them to himself. What else could he do?

Thats when he heard a glass shattering, the gasp of shock. Misaki wheeled around, terrified.

Akihiko stood in the door way, staring mortified at the papers in Misaki's hands. The tea he had brought Misaki was spilled and broken on the floor. Akihiko took a step forwards, his hands going up as if to plead. Misaki took a step back, he didn't know what else to do.

"Misaki... Let me explain, please." Akihiko offered, taking a few more steps into the room. 

Misaki felt trapped. He wanted to cry, to scream, to run. He wanted to do anything but be in this very room at this very moment.

Misaki's voice shook as he spoke, "What is this?" he held up the story.

Akihikos was trembling, his eyes wide. "It's just... I... Misaki please.... I just... I'm sorry." His voice was uneven, he sounded like he was about to cry and he had to take deep breaths for a few seconds.

"Sorry?" Misaki echoed harshly. He balled up his fists, crumpling the pages.

Akihiko flinched. "They're just stories, nothing more. A pass time, thats it." Akihiko offered.

"No." Misaki said quickly in reply, his eyes stinging with tears. "No. Tell me the truth." he swallowed.

Akihiko frowned, "I..." His frame slumped and he sighed. "I can't." he looked away

"Bullshit!" Misaki yelled and threw the papers at Akihiko, but all they did was flutter to the ground a few feet in front of him. Misaki took several heaving breaths and attempted to urge back the tears that were threatening to spill over. He tried to make his voice sound like it wasn't shaking. "Tell. Me. The. Truth."

Akihiko didn't answer right away. Silence followed Misaki's demand before Akihiko looked up at Misaki and whispered; "I love you..." 

It felt like Misaki was getting stabbed in the heart. The confession was hanging in the air.

"Love..." Misaki mumbled, blinking, tears falling. He looked up in a daze. "Why...?"

Akihiko looked away in shame. "I'm sorry."

Misaki stared at him. "I don't understand." He whispered. He reached his hand up and wiped away tears but more streamed down his face. "I feel sick.."

"I'm so sorry." Akihiko apologized again, his voice broken and small. He took a step back away from Misaki.

Misaki turned his eyes to the door and blinked a couple of times before making his way over to the exit, stumbling over the books that littered the floor. Akihiko did nothing to stop him, only met Misaki's eyes as he passed and left the room.

The last glimpse Misaki had of Akihiko as he ran out of the place was of his friend sinking to his knees and covering his face. He looked defeated and broken.

Misaki left the house without saying another word. He looked back at it once before going down the hill and walked most of the way home then ran the remaining distance, crying the entire way. When he arrived back at his farm and got inside, he just flung his gun by the front door and didn't even bother taking his boots off. He walked numbly into the other room where the fireplace was and sat in the chair that Akihiko normally occupied. He stared into the fire pit for almost two hours before what had happened in the study at Akihiko's finally hit him.

Misaki stood and made his way down the hall, to the guest bedroom where Akihiko usually slept. He pushed open the door and went over to the bed. Misaki squeezed his eyes shut and sat on the mattress. He finally shoved off his boots and layed down, curling up into a ball and pulling the covers over him. 'They smell like him' Misaki thought miserably as he drifted off to sleep.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

 

2 Months Later.

 

Misaki looked out the window. It was another promising day, not a cloud in the sky. He sighed and struggled out of bed and stretched. He pulled off his pajamas and got dressed in his work clothes. He left his room, closing the door behind him, and as he made his way down the hall to the kitchen, he couldn't help but pause at the guest bedroom. The room where Akihiko slept when he used to come over.

Misaki frowned and pushed down the awful feeling that was arising in his gut and moved on.

Not a second passed where Misaki didn't think of his friend. Misaki had avoided him entirely for two months, and visiting Haruhiko when he went to the market became a painful process. Misaki started to dread going into town for anything, afraid that someone would find out about what had happened between him and Akihiko, about Akihiko's true nature, and he soon fell into a depression. He didn't want to farm ,or hunt, or do anything at all but sleep. He dreaded the morning, didn't want to get up, ate less, he felt miserable. Even so, Misaki spent a lot of his time in the guest bedroom, which no longer smelled like Akihiko, but he held onto the memories.

Misaki's friend, Sumi, didn't really help much either. Every time he went to the store, Sumi would ask how Akihiko was doing and Misaki would shrug and say that he was doing fine, because he didn't want anyone to know that they weren't talking anymore, it could raise suspicion. 

Misaki knew he wouldn't tell anyone about Akihiko. Misaki still counted himself as Akihiko's friend, which was weird for him to do, but he did anyway. He didn't know how to deal with what he was feeling, he could only guess how Akihiko was fairing.

He ate breakfast slowly and then went to do his chores. He did his work diligently, but often throughout the day he would lose focus and start to think of Akihiko, about the feel of him, the sight of his smile, the smell of his skin. All things he thought he would never get to know or see again. But he kept on, and finished always late into the night, when the cold was too much to handle.

Today was just like every other day, and it went by slowly, like it always did. But when the sun set Misaki would stop and turn his attention to the sky and watch the sun dive behind the mountains and the bright colors that lit the evening sky, because it reminded him of Akihiko, because Akihiko once said that he liked the sunset. Misaki smiled.

When he finished he went back inside, exhausted from the day's work, and go to the kitchen to eat his dinner. It was beef soup, one of Misaki's favorites during the winter. But again his thoughts drifted.

Misaki yearned to be with Akihiko again like it used to be, but he was scared. Scared of what people would do, what they would think.

Tonight, when he finished his food and tossed the bowl into a bin of water, instead of going to his own bedroom, he went to the guest room, and curled up in that bed and fell asleep. 

Misaki stood in a room, Akihiko's study, and he was trembling. 

"I love you..." A distant, sad voice said, and Misaki shivered. He liked the sound, he followed it. He went down the hall connecting the study and the living room, but the hall was never ending, and the voice kept whispering to him. Misaki's heart beat faster, his head growing clouded. All he wanted to do was follow that voice, to embrace it, have it envelope him and become his.

"I'm sorry.." It said sadly, and Misaki stopped. The voice sounded familiar, and it was, because it was Akihiko. Suddenly he was crying, but he didn't know why. He looked around him, the tears blurring his vision, and down the hall Misaki saw him, his friend, Akihiko.

Misaki ran to him. "Please don't.." Misaki cried, but Akihiko only got farther away. Misaki yelled out to him, called his name, but Akihiko did not seem to hear and he covered his face with his hands and sank to his knees. "No!" Misaki screamed, crying even harder. "No don't go, I love you too! Don't go!"

Everything around Misaki crashed down on him, and he woke up gasping for breath.

The blankets were twisted around his legs, the sun was just peeking up over the mountains, and clouds were forming off towards the west. Misaki sighed and untangled himself out of the blankets. The dream was hazy to him and all he could remember was Akihiko and a darkness.

"Another nightmare..." He mumbled to himself, running his hands through his hair. Misaki stumbled out of bed and went to his room where he got dressed, but today he would go to market and set up his stall and sell his goods. So he dressed in his warmest clothes, gathered all that he needed and set out with his furs and produce.

His first stop, like always, was Haruhiko. 

Misaki walked into his store, his usual bundle that the man bought wrapped securely in a blanket. Haruhiko, as always, was writing something down and Misaki walked up to him, automatically feeling worse. He couldn't find any distinct similarities in Haruhiko that Akihiko shared, except that they both wore glasses, but it was enough that they were related to hurt Misaki so much.

"Ah, Misaki." Haruhiko greeted, giving him a small nod. "The usual."

"Right here for you sir." Misaki replied, placing the produce on the table and unwrapping the blanket from it. 

Haruhiko and Misaki exchanged the money and vegetables and Misaki bowed, leaving the store.

Misaki walked down the street to the market, set up his stand, displayed all his furs and produce, and waited for the usual humdrum of people to shamble through.

Two hours passed before a decent amount of people actually showed up and came looking through his things. Misaki was envious of them, because they looked like they didn't have a care in the world. He wish he didn't care, maybe then he wouldn't feel the way he was feeling right now.

Another hour passed before Misaki got an unexpected visit from his brother, Takahiro.

"Misaki!" Takahiro called, running up to the stall, a scarf wound snugly around his neck. His cheeks and nose were red, he had been outside for awhile. "It's been too long!" he panted, "How's my little brother doing?"

Misaki smiled with relief, happy to see his brother. "Hey!" he exclaimed, going around to the front and hugging Takahiro tightly. "I'm ok, been busy ya know?" 

Takahiro hugged backed. "I know how you feel, winter sure is tough! I've been busy with Mahiro and Minami."

"How are they doing?" Misaki asked, going back around to man the stand.

"Oh they're just fine." Takahiro replied with a fond smile. "They miss you a lot though. We haven't seen you since Christmas you know."

Misaki shrugged and began fiddling with his sleeves. "I know." He admitted. "I just couldn't find the time."

Takahiro leaned onto the side of the stand. Misaki watched him. "Says you. Seems like you have plenty of time for that friend of yours." Takahiro said.

"You mean Akihiko?" Misaki asked.

"''Course I mean him." Takahiro said.

Misaki smiled. "Well he practically forced his hang out time with me." He laughed, remembering all the times that Akihiko would come over while Misaki was busy and somehow managed to have Misaki's attention split between work and Akihiko. "He usually just talked at me while I worked and sometimes he would try to help but he sucked so I just sent him home."

Takahiro laughed. "You two were close then!"

Misaki frowned and looked away. "Yeah, we were." he turned his attention to an older woman who waddled up and was looking through his furs. Takahiro stepped to the side and waited for her to -instead- buy some fruit and wander off again before he came back. "So," Misaki said, turning back to his brother. "What brings you here?"

"Well I heard that my little brother, you know; the one that never visits, was selling furs now and I wanted to get a little something for Minami. She likes those sorts of things." Takahiro replied.

Misaki leaned forward, resting his elbows on the wood of the stall. "I didn't know she liked things like this, or I would have brought them over!"

"We wouldn't have accepted them anyway, you need the money Misaki."

"Still." Misaki said, sighing. "Maybe I should visit more." He looked up at Takahiro, who had a big smile on his face at the mention of coming over. "I'm only free on Sundays though."

"Oh thats fine! Whenever you can spare the time!" Takahiro said cheerfully.

Misaki smiled back, and then his thoughts turned to Akihiko and his heartbeat picked up. "Hey, bro, can I ask ya something?"

"Anything!" Takahiro said.

"When did you, well, when did you first realize that you loved Minami?" Misaki asked, twiddling his thumbs.

Takahiro blinked at Misaki and pursed his lips to think. "Hmmm." he mumbled, "I hadn't thought of that for a long time." Takahiro shifted from foot to foot for a couple of minutes before replying. "Well, it just sort of happened, I couldn't help it really. It's more of... a feeling you get. When you see or think about them and you cant stop thinking about them. It's kind of like that, I suppose. I was a little oblivious about my own feelings for awhile, but one day I woke up and I realized that I was in love with Minami." Takahiro took a deep sigh and smiled. "So I guess that was that. When you love someone you can't help it."

Misaki stared at his brother and frowned. "Oh... Oh really?"

"Yeah. Your heart picks up and you get all happy and fluttery and you just want to make them happy. All I want to do is make Minami happy." Takahiro said. "Minami is everything to me."

Misaki nodded slowly and turned his head away. "you love her a lot then."

"I certainly do." Takahiro said with a smile and Misaki smiled back, making a final decision right there.

Takahiro stayed with Misaki for another hour, talking about random things before he bought what he had come for and went back to his family. The rest of the day passed by uneventful and when it was time for Misaki to go home, he packed up his things in a hurry and left.

When he got home later that night he went straight to bed and crawled in under the covers and curled into a ball to stay warm. He was exhausted and for the first time in two months, eager for the next day to start. "I'll go see him." Misaki said to himself as he layed in bed. "I'll go see Akihiko tomorrow, and we'll talk."

Misaki couldn't believe it's taken him this long to realize that he loved Akihiko Usami.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Misaki trudged up the hill to Akihiko's, his heart rate picking up with each step, and all he wanted to do was high tail it out of there and go back home. But he had to go, had to talk to Akihiko, tell him how he felt.

He had planned on inviting Akihiko over to his house around sunset, because he had to hunt today, and he thought that him coming over at sunset was perfect because Akihiko loved the sunset and then he would ask if he would like to spend the night, like he used to. Misaki had already made the bed in hopes that he would say yes.

Misaki saw his house in the distance and froze, shuffling from foot to foot. He bit his bottom lip and looked behind him nervously. 'I'm so close..' he thought, looking back to Akihiko's home. He was nervous about telling Akihiko that he loved him, because he had never told anyone that before, not even a girl. 'I've never even dated....' Misaki thought miserably.

Misaki took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, to stop his heart from beating through his chest. Hunting today would calm him down and make him feel better. So he walked on, trying to seem unafraid.

The front door of Akihiko's home was a haunting image. He hadn't been here in so long. He remembered how Akihiko had saved him from those thugs, how grateful he was because of that, how that had practically started their friendship.

Misaki thought back now, how whenever he thought of his friend, his heart would skip a beat, or when he saw Akihiko without a shirt his face went bright red and he knew that he liked what he had seen. Even the dreams that Misaki used to have with him and Akihiko in situations he refused to voice out loud.

Misaki swallowed and brought up his hand to knock. He was shaking, and he knocked very quietly. No one answered, of course, so he knocked a second time but much louder.

The door creaked open halfway and a tired, sad voice called out. "Yes?"

"Uuu-uummm..." Misaki stammered, taking a step back and wringing his hands. "A-Akihiko.... I-is that you?"

There was a pause before the door opened all the way. Akihiko stood there and Misaki blinked in surprise. He was an utter mess. He had bags under his eyes and his shirt was untucked and wrinkled, with multiple stains on it. His suspenders hung loosely by his sides and his hair was disheveled and looked unwashed, his glasses perched on top of his head. Akihiko looked like he hadn't slept in years.

"Misaki...?" Akihiko asked, blinking a couple of times and squinting. He grabbed his glasses and placed them on his nose. ".....What are you doing here?"

Misaki licked his lips nervously. "I.... wanted to talk...." He said, looking down. "But first I want to say that I'm sorry.... I...." Misaki looked up. "I can't talk now, I have to go out hunting but... Well can you come to my house around sunset? I'll be home by then, and I remember you said you like sunsets....." Misaki took a few calming breaths and ran a hand through his hair. "So can you come?"

Akihiko didn't reply right away, just stared at Misaki like he couldn't believe that the boy was actually standing there right in front of him. Finally he nodded and let himself smile. "Of course... I'll see you at sunset, Misaki."

Misaki smiled back before waving his goodbye and walking back towards his home. He had a new skip in his step, happy to see Akihiko after so long. He got home and was in and out of his house quickly, gun strapped securely around him and snares and traps strapped to his belt.

He looked up towards the sky. Clouds covered the rising sun, dark gray clouds that promised snowfall. If Misaki could get this over with before that happened then he was set and wouldn't have to hunt for awhile after this.

So he went through the forest, setting up snares and traps and going in deeper to hunt with his gun. The clouds overhead kept baring down on Misaki, and he cursed himself for missing a shot when one was made.

"Still." He said to himself while looking over the body of a wild turkey he just killed. "Its a good distraction." He pulled out a sack and grabbed the turkey by the neck and placed it in there and slung it over his shoulder.

Akihiko was, of course, on his mind the entire time he hunted. Every kill he made only made him more eager to see his friend later that evening, and he thought that the day passed by slowly only to tease him. Albeit, he did not get a lot of kills today, only a few here and there, the Turkey being the biggest thing he could get for months. Today was promising to be a good one, he only hoped the evening went as planned.

The hours ticked by, the colder the air became, the more anxious Misaki was. His fingers ached as they pushed back the trigger on the gun, shooting down a small finch. Misaki walked over from behind a bush and grabbed it and tied it to his belt. He looked up towards the sky. The sun was just starting to set, and Misaki smiled. Finally he could make his way back home,and stop to see if his traps and snares caught anything.

He slung his gun around his shoulder and began to leave. Misaki took note of the clouds one last time, ready to snow, and he, ready to see Akihiko. He turned around.

The creature was huge, a bear as black as the night sky only stood a few feet away from Misaki. It's eyes glazed over with sleep and hunger, its nose twitching at the scent of freshly killed prey. The bear came towards Misaki, who was frozen on the spot, too terrified to move. The bear leered at him, even with it was on all fours it was taller than Misaki, and then it reared, standing on its back legs and towered over him. It blocked out the remaining light, and Misaki cowered in its shadow. 

Misaki trembled, wide eyed and petrified, his heart beating too fast, too loud. The blood went to his head and his ears pounded against him. Misaki dropped the bag that had the turkey in it and fumbled for his gun that was around his shoulders, it snagged on his sleeve, he was shaking too much. The bear roared. Misaki covered his ears.

The creature landed on all fours, shaking the earth beneath it's paws. Misaki was scared for his life, knowing that if he didn't act fast enough then he would die. He had come so close to death before, but now it taunted him, gloated in his face that this time, he would die, because there was no one else to save him. Misaki struggled with the strap before finally he unsnagged his gun from his sleeve and brought it up to aim. The bear lunged then, attacking, mad with hunger and rage. Misaki fired his gun immediately but missed as the bullet whizzed through the bear's ear. It widened its eyes at the pain and let out a thunderous roar. Misaki was trapped, he couldn't turn and run. He grabbed another bullet and placed it in his gun, his hands shaking so badly he almost dropped it. 

Blood, pain, fear. The bear struck, bone broke, Misaki's leg was bleeding and broken and it hurt so badly that he nearly lost consciousness. He fell back, landing hard and he screamed out in pain. The bear reared, ready to come crashing down on top of Misaki. Misaki readied his gun quickly, aimed, and fired.

It all went in slow motion for Misaki. He saw the bullet fire and hit it's target, and the bear, still standing, held its jaw wide open. Misaki had shot the bear through the jaw and up through its brain, killing it. It swayed and finally gravity forced it to plummet to the ground backwards, its head falling back and its neck snapping.

Misaki stared, not moving in case it was still alive, in case some power in the world decided that Misaki would have to die on that very day. "No..No..." He mumbled, on the edge of passing out. "Nononono.." He grabbed his gun, his body convulsing, before using it as a crutch to get up and force himself to stand.

Misaki would drag himself back if he could, but he was weak, he was bleeding. 'I'm going to die out here.' Misaki thought.

He was only able to go so far before collapsing to the ground. He screamed in agony, his leg no longer capable to hold him up. Misaki cried and held his bleeding leg, trying to ease the pain but only making it worse.

"HELP!" Misaki called, "SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!" he yelled out repeatedly until his throat ran sore, but no one answered. No one was there and Misaki would die. He would go into shock, bleed himself out, and no one would know.

Misaki's vision blurred, his head feeling too heavy to hold up anymore. He let his body fall to the forest floor, and now all he could feel was the pain, the cold. It had started to snow.

Misaki would freeze out here. He grabbed his cloak and wrapped it around him as well as he could. He cried himself out until his head hurt too much that he couldn't stand it. "Help...." He called out weakly. "Please... Somebody." and all went black.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Misaki awoke in an unfamiliar bed. It was warm, and comfortable, and he didn't want to wake up. He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Misaki shouldn't be alive. Was he in heaven? No. He still felt pain, he was still sleepy, his head hurt.

Misaki shifted his leg, and winced. Thats when he realized that someone was holding his hand.

Misaki looked to his side and saw Akihiko asleep in a chair by his bed, Akihiko's hand in Misaki's. Misaki smiled and took his hand away only to reach over and nudge Akihiko awake.

The man opened his eyes slowly and he blinked the sleep away. Akihiko noticed he wasn't holding Misaki's hand anymore and looked over. His eyes opened wide and he jumped out of his chair. 

"Misaki!" Akihiko gasped in shock. "Oh my god... Misaki..."

Misaki smiled at him. "Hey." His voice was sore, as if he hadn't talked in weeks. "Where am I?"

Akihiko came over and wrapped his arms around Misaki's shoulders and hugged him tightly, burying his face in Misaki's neck. Misaki gasped at the sudden contact and winced at the pain that shot through his entire body. Akihiko noticed and let go instantly. "I'm sorry." he apologized, backing up. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, no, Akihiko its ok!" Misaki said, sitting up a little. "Am I in your room?"

"Ah yes... I couldn't think of any better place to put you. Your home is so far out of the way that I... I just brought you here, its easier for the doctor anyway." Akihiko replied, running a hand through his hair.

Misaki looked at his friend. He looked tired, but he looked better than when Misaki last saw him. "Thats fine...." Misaki said after awhile and Akihiko sat back down. Misaki sighed and looked down at his hands, remembering how this whole ordeal started. "Akihiko.... I'm so sorry...."

Akihiko looked at him. "Misaki you have nothing to apologize for."

"Yes I do. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did when I found those papers. I shouldn't have avoided you for as long as I did...." Misaki said and looked at Akihiko. "I don't know why I did. I regret it, and I want to talk to you...."

Akihiko nodded and leaned back in his chair.

Misaki didn't say anything for a long time. At one point Misaki grabbed Akihiko's hand again and held it in his and realized how cold it was, but he didn't comment on it. Akihiko was shocked but he didn't say anything, he didn't want to ruin what they were having. They stayed quiet, not looking at each other, but Misaki was comfortable. He felt safe.

Misaki started to mess with Akihiko's hand, measuring it up to his own and noticing how big his friend's hands were compared to his own, and playing with their fingers, and Akihiko let him. Finally, Misaki sighed and stopped, and looked at Akihiko. "I love you too." he said. So sure of himself, so willing, and so determined to finally tell his friend how he felt.

Akihiko gripped Misaki's hand tighter and stared at him in shock. Misaki could see him trembling. From excitement or fear, he couldn't tell.

Misaki glanced down at the floor, embarrassed. Akihiko moved forward, leaning his forehead against Misaki's. "Misaki.... You're going to kill me." Akihiko muttered, and Misaki smiled.

They kissed, sweet and tender and slow and didn't talk to one another for hours, too content to speak, too happy for words.


	6. Love Runs Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The forest was flourishing, and Misaki couldn't believe how big a change it went through with just three months. The sun was shining down through the leaves in the trees, everything was flush and green, and he could hear birds chirping and singing in the air above him. It was warm out today so Misaki had just put on a shirt, pants, and boots. He had his game bag, now empty, slung over his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just.. Shameless smut I'm sorry (not sorry). This chapter's song is "Love Runs Out" by One Republic!

A lot can happen in three months.

Three months ago, Misaki went hunting in the woods and was attacked by a bear. He successfully killed it with a shot to the head, but not before the animal inflicted serious harm, breaking Misaki's leg and make him stand on the edge of death. Misaki had passed out that day, only to wake up days later in Akihiko's bed, alive and healing.

Misaki had then confessed his love to Akihiko, and they shared a kiss. 

For another week, Misaki stayed at Akihiko's, in his bed. Akihiko offered to sleep on the couch downstairs, but Misaki insisted he stay in the bed with him, saying, "Well what if something happens in the middle of the night where I'll need you?" he was, of course, referring to his leg. Akihiko had smiled and agreed.

One month later, Misaki was finally healed enough to return to work on his farm, which was better off than what he was expecting, but it still wasn't fairing well. Apparently Takahiro helped take care of things as much as he could mainly by keeping Misaki's animals alive and farming for Misaki's bigger crops. It was a good thing Misaki's farm was rather small, or it would have been worse.

At the same time, Misaki and Akihiko were trying to figure out where each of them stood in each other's lives. It was confusing for Misaki, because he had never loved someone like this before, and he didn't know how to act. They shared an occasional kiss, and Akihiko never rushed Misaki on anything, he didn't want to lose him again.

Finally, one night, Misaki invited Akihiko over for the first time since he got back to work on his farm. He spent the night, but before they went to bed, they shared a kiss, and didn't stop kissing, and things got heated.

Thats when their relationship became sexual. They hadn't had sex yet, Misaki wasn't ready, but they did other things. That was the night Misaki had his first hand job, and he returned the favor to Akihiko. They slept in the same bed, sticky with cum and sweat, and very happy.

The next two months were a mix of hard work to get his farm back in shape, being with Akihiko, and fending off paranoid thoughts that someone would find out about their relationship.

Today he worked insistently on his farm to heal it, after three months it was finally getting all back together again. April was a good month to farm, it was almost spring, and the weather was warm and pleasant and ideal.

Akihiko would come over today and spend the night. He spent most of his nights at Misaki's now, and Misaki didn't mind. He liked it when he had the company, and he loved being around Akihiko. 

It was around mid day when Akihiko came around on his horse, and Misaki met him in the front, gave him a chaste kiss, and returned to his work after putting the horse in the stables. The sun reached over the mountains and shined brightly down on Misaki. It was abnormally warm today, and so he stripped himself of his shirt and continued on.

Akihiko came out of the house where he had been waiting and watched Misaki work for awhile. 

Misaki finally sighed, stopped, and turned. "What?" Misaki asked, putting a hand on his hip.

"Oh no, please continue, I like watching you work without a shirt." Akihiko commented, and Misaki blushed a bright red.

"You see me shirtless all the time." Misaki said, turning back around. "Honestly, I don't see how this is any different..." he muttered.

Akihiko smiled and stayed outside for awhile, much to Misaki's annoyance, until the heat got to him and Akihiko went back inside. Misaki was happy that he left, because Akihiko distracts him enough as it is, he doesn't need the man coming outside just to stare at him for hours.

When the sun set, Misaki decided to turn in early, whereas he usually worked late into the night, but Akihiko was over, so he decided not to. He finished what he was working on and wandered on inside.

"Akihiko?" Misaki called, prying off his boots. "I'm done, where'd you go?"

No response, and he figured that Akihiko had fallen asleep in Misaki's bed, so Misaki went to the kitchen and was taking things out for dinner when two arms wrapped around his middle and Akihiko's body pressed against his.

"Mmmm." Akihiko mumbled, resting his chin on the top of Misaki's head. "You forgot to put a shirt on Misaki..."

It was true, Misaki had tossed his shirt to the side earlier, forgotten. Nonetheless, Misaki blushed and tried to push Akihiko away. "Shut it, I'm trying to make dinner, so no funny business."

Sometimes Misaki thinks that Akihiko's existence is just so he can do the exact opposite of what Misaki tells him. Akihiko dipped his hand beneath Misaki's trousers, his fingers brushing up against him. Misaki tried to hold back a moan, but he couldn't help it, and he shivered.

Misaki could feel Akihiko getting hard against him, and he was too. He arched into Akihiko, and the man chuckled.

"God damn it..." Misaki muttered. "I'm hungry Akihiko, I want to eat."

Akihiko let out a breathy laugh down Misaki's neck, making Misaki moan and tilt his neck to the side. "I'm hungry too.." Akihiko said, his voice husky with arousal.

Akihiko slipped his hand farther down Misaki's trousers, grabbing hold of him and stroking with his thumb. Misaki whimpered and jerked his hips into the hand. "Hah.... Can-can't we do this in the bedroom?" Misaki asked, panting.

Akihiko hummed and brushed his thumb over the head of Misaki's dick, not making a move to change rooms. Misaki let out a sound between a whine and a moan. "Please Akihiko..." he pleaded, closing his eyes and leaning into Akihiko's hand.

Akihiko moaned, "You're going to be the death of me..." He muttered, leaning down and biting Misaki's neck. "Just with the sounds you make."

Misaki's body was working on automatic and he pressed himself back into Akihiko, grinding into his groin, and the man gasped. Akihiko took his hand out of Misaki's trousers, and Misaki whined at the loss of contact, but Akihiko grabbed hold of his wrist and rushed him out of the kitchen and to Misaki's bedroom.

The bedroom was small, with the bed pushed to one of the far corners and a wardrobe by the door. Some of Akihiko's clothes were littering the floor, since he came over so often. But Misaki didn't think about any of this as Akihiko pushed him onto the bed and fumbled with his trousers, trying to take them off. Misaki lifted his hips to help him and Akihiko slipped them completely off and threw them to the corner of the room. He then proceeded to remove his own pants and unbutton his shirt. Misaki stared at him, at the length of him, it was hard and dripping with pre cum. Misaki moaned at just the sight, and Akihiko chuckled darkly. He came over and pressed his lips firmly to Misaki's lips and pushed him down to where Misaki was laying on the bed and Akihiko was leaning over him, his hands on either side of Misaki's head, holding himself up.

They pulled away from each other, panting. Akihiko grabbed Misaki again, stroking him slowly, and Misaki let his head fall to the side, panting and moaning. 

"I still can't believe I get to do this with you Misaki..." Akihiko whispered and bit the top of Misaki's ear. "It doesn't feel real."

Misaki shivered and turned his head back to Akihiko and kissed the corner of his mouth, too lost to think straight. Akihiko brushed his thumb over Misaki's head again and Misaki thrust his hips into Akihiko's hand.

Misaki felt hot all over, he never knew that something that felt so good could come from someone else's hand. He wanted Akihiko to feel the same right now, to feel an overwhelming amount of pleasure that was almost painful. Misaki brought his hand up shakily and brushed it up against Akihiko and wrapped his fingers around Akihiko's shaft.

Akihiko's hand faltered on Misaki and he let out a low moan, closing his eyes tightly and dipping his head down to catch his breath. Misaki smiled, liking the reaction he got out of Akihiko and stroking upward slowly and pulling another moan from Akihiko. 

Akihiko looked at Misaki. "You have me wrapped around your finger, Misaki." He said and before Misaki could say anything, Akihiko kissed him and continued to stroke up Misaki's length, and Misaki whined into Akihiko's mouth and thrust into his hand.

'He has it wrong,' Misaki thought, dizzy with want, 'He has me wrapped around his finger...'

Akihiko rocked his hips in time with Misaki's strokes, and Misaki tried to find out where he got all that concentration from. His mind was clouded over with lust and all he could think about was Akihiko and how great he felt and all he wanted was more of this.

Misaki tilted his head to the side, deepening the kiss and moaning consistently into Akihiko's mouth. With each moan he could feel Akihiko twitch in his hand, which only pulled him closer and closer over the edge. Akihiko's tongue was moving expertly in his mouth, brushing over the side of Misaki's tongue and stealing a gasp as Akihiko stroked faster.

Misaki felt it boiling up inside of him, ready to release. He was so close, so painfully close. He pulled his mouth away from Akihiko's and gasped out, "I-I'm close."

Akihiko brought his lips to Misaki's neck and bit down on tender flesh, Misaki hissed at the pain, and Akihiko licked at the spot before sucking hard, leaving a bruise. "Then cum... Let me hear you." Akihiko said, breathing down Misaki's neck.

Misaki realized how dirty Akihiko could be in bed. He completely changed, it seemed, and let the most erotic things slip from his lips. Misaki's head lolled to the side to let Akihiko have more access at his neck, which was sensitive with every touch.

Misaki closed his eyes as he felt himself tipped over the edge with a single upstroke from Akihiko, and he yelped as he came hot and sticky over Akihiko's hand and himself.

Misaki mindlessly kept stroking Akihiko, and Akihiko worked him until every last drop was out of Misaki. Akihiko still brushed his fingers over Misaki's sensitive dick, and he let out a shiver and a whine. Before Akihiko could come the man captured Misaki's lips with his own and moaned into his mouth as he came over Misaki's hand and stomach, thrusting into Misaki's hand until he was finished.

The sound of panting filled the room as the two broke away from each other, both sensitive to the touch of one another. Finally, Akihiko laughed and buried his face into Misaki's neck and smiled against his skin. "I'm not hungry anymore." Akihiko muttered.

Misaki rolled his eyes but laughed along with him. "I'm still cooking dinner." Misaki told him and grabbed Akihiko's shoulder and pushed him off of himself and sat up. "We made a mess..." He said, looking down at his stomach and blushing. "That's embarrassing...."

Akihiko sat up as well and rested his hand on Misaki abdomen and kissed Misaki on the cheek. "You should probably clean up before cooking then."

Misaki pushed him away. "This is your fault, all of it." He said, getting up and grabbing a rag that was on the floor and wiping his stomach clean of the cum that covered it. "So gross." he commented and made a face of disgust before throwing the sticky rag into a basket.

"Don't get dressed, though, I like you like that." Akihiko said mischeviously. Misaki picked up a pair of pants and threw it at him. "What?" Akihiko said, faking innocence "I'm just stating my opinion."

"Your opinion is unwanted." Misaki replied and stuck out his tongue. He bent down and grabbed a random shirt and slipped it on. "I'll just wear your shirt." He said while buttoning it up. It was big on him, which wasn't surprising, Akihiko was a lot taller than him and more built. The sleeves went well past his hands and the hem of the shirt hid him well enough that he didn't bother with pants. Misaki rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and turned to Akihiko, who was slipping on the pair of pants that Misaki had thrown on him.

"I like it when you wear my clothes." Akihiko said, standing and buttoning the pants. "It's cute."

Misaki chose to ignore him and walked out of the room and back to the kitchen, where he began taking out food to cook for dinner. Akihiko joined him in the kitchen but sat at the table this time.

"I love you." Akihiko said, leaning back in his chair.

Misaki smiled shyly. "I love you too." he replied, pulling out a skillet to cook.

Akihiko sat in silence while Misaki cooked, commenting here and there about what he was writing about in his next novel and even interrupting himself to say that Misaki's butt was showing underneath the shirt, and Misaki would quickly cover himself.

"By the way," Misaki said, adding some seasoning to the chicken he was frying up. "Do you still write those stories about, well you know, us?" he asked.

Akihiko looked at Misaki quizzically. "Why do you ask?" 

"Well," Misaki started, blushing and turning his head away so Akihiko wouldn't see. "I mean I dunno, I just thought of it I guess." Misaki frowned. "'Cause of what we're doing now, its kind of like what you wrote down in your stories, I guess... And I was just curious if you still write about it anymore now that we're together or..." he trailed off, not really knowing what to say.

Akihiko leaned forward and rested his eblows on the table and propped his chin up on his hands. "Would you like to read them? I haven't thrown them out." Akihiko asked.

"Thats not what I asked!" Misaki said loudly, completely and utterly embrassed. 

"No. I don't write them anymore." Akihiko said, grinning. "But you didn't answer my question either."

Misaki dropped what he was doing and covered his face with his hands. "Ohmygod." he muttered into them. "No."

"Couldn't quite hear that. Say again?" Akihiko pressed, his grin growing wider.

Misaki dropped his hands to his side. "No way in hell do I want to read those stories." Misaki said. "A thousand times no, its way too weird."

Akihiko chuckled and stood. He stepped over and ruffled Misaki's hair. "I suppose thats true, but who knows what effect they would have on your body if you read them."

"No."

"What if I read it to you?" Akihiko asked, and Misaki blinked up at him, turned around, and continued cooking.

It was very tempting to have Akihiko read to him the slutty, sexual stories that he had written, and seeing how great a writer Akihiko was, and how deep and sensual his voice could get whenever they were in bed together, Misaki almost said yes. But he wouldn't. He was too prideful for that and the way Akihiko talked whenever he was in one of his moods would have undone Misaki before his very eyes, have Misaki begging Akihiko to touch him, to make him his, and he wasn't ready for that.

Its true that he did read a little of the pages when he found them three months ago, but he was so overcome with confusion, anger and fear that all he could think about was trying to get out of there and forget that it had ever happened. Now that he was with Akihiko in a relationship, it was different.

Misaki was still scared of it. Paranoid that people would catch on. Misaki and Akihiko were rarely seen together in public, like it had been before they became lovers. Misaki wanted it to stay that way, to keep suspicion away from them. No one really payed that much attention to when they went to each other's houses though, and both were located away from town.

Misaki sighed and was torn from his thoughts when Akihiko slipped a hand underneath his shirt and grabbed his butt. Misaki swatted his hand away and glared at him.

"No, not this again, I'm cooking and we already made a mess in my bedroom." Misaki said. "I swear, touch me one more time and I'm going to put pants on."

"The ultimate threat." Akihiko said, going back to sit at the table and crossing his arms. "You have no soul."

"Stop pouting." Misaki scolded and turned back to the stove. "Dinner is done, by the way." He said, going over to a cabinet and taking out two wooden plates. 

They ate quickly, both extremely hungry, and Misaki tossed the skillet and plates into a water basin when they were done with their meal. Misaki cleaned up the kitchen before joining Akihiko back in the bedroom. 

Twice before they went to bed Akihiko tried to start something again, but Misaki wasn't having any of it, and separated himself from Akihiko by putting a pillow between them. Misaki fell asleep rather quickly, exhausted from the days work.

The next morning, Misaki woke up in Akihiko's arms, their legs tangled together and the pillow on the floor.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

The forest was flourishing, and Misaki couldn't believe how big a change it went through with just three months. The sun was shining down through the leaves in the trees, everything was flush and green, and he could hear birds chirping and singing in the air above him. It was warm out today so Misaki had just put on a shirt, pants, and boots. He had his game bag, now empty, slung over his shoulder.

Misaki was more alert though, not allowing anything to distract him this time, scared that he would be attacked. "This is good.." Misaki muttered as he crept through the trees, leaves and twigs crunching underneath his feet. "More animals, better conditions." And it was true. With spring just around the corner, animals would be popping up everywhere. Perhaps he would even be able to hunt down a deer, and bigger birds.

Luck, today, was not on his side. Misaki did run across a herd of deer, but before he could aim and fire, he snapped a twig underneath his foot, and the deer took off running and disappeared into the foliage. Misaki couldn't find the herd again, and he finally gave up and settled on hunting down a flock of wild turkeys and was able to bag one before the day ended.

"I'll just have to sell this at the market tomorrow." Misaki said as he looked down at his measly gatherings. "It could be worse, at least I was able to shoot down the turkey and some squirrels." and people seemed to like the fur and meat on the small rodents.

Misaki made it home safely, and with still day time to spare, he decided he'd make his way into town. He slipped inside first, grabbed some money, and walked on off down the road.

On his way, he couldn't help but notice how... Dirty he'd become. Misaki frowned. He had been neglecting his personal health in lue of everything that had happened, and he hadn't bathed in a couple weeks. "I'll work up something when I get home tonight." he mumbled. It was a pain to use his bath, because he had to wait for the water to boil over the fire and then dump it into a tub and repeat until the tub had enough water.

"I suppose its worth it, I haven't done much of anything today, so I can stay up later into the night." he mumbled to himself, looking down at his feet as he walked.

A lot more people were out today, but this was typical. With the warmer weather came more people. Misaki avoided them, and stayed clear of the certain stores he knew those thugs worked at in case they decided to bother him again. He couldn't believe it was only little over a year ago that he made friends with Akihiko, and it was probably all thanks to those brutes who nearly killed him that day. They hadn't really bothered him much since Akihiko payed them off to leave Misaki alone, but sometimes they would see Misaki on the streets and yell at him, tossing taunts and insults his way. Misaki would ignore them every time though, and it seemed to work.

"Misaki!" a voice called as Misaki walked down the road, and it was familiar, so Misaki turned and saw his friend, Sumi, running down the street towards him. "Hey Misaki!"

"Sumi!" Misaki called back, running to meet him halfway and giving him a tight hug. "Hey! It's been awhile! What have you been up to?" Misaki asked, standing back after Sumi returned the hug.

"Oh, nothing really." Sumi replied before walking in the direction that Misaki was going, and Misaki walked beside him. "You've been quite busy though, haven't you? What after breaking your leg and all."

Misak shrugged. He had told Sumi about the incident, leaving out a few things, of course. Sumi had actually come to visit him on his farm after he was discharged from staying at Akihiko's place, just to wish him well. Sumi hadn't stayed long that day, saying that he needed to go back home and get other things done, but he was happy to see Misaki alive and well.

"Yeah." Misaki said, "I went hunting for the first time today since the incident."

"Ooooh, were you scared?" Sumi asked with a smile. 

Misaki laughed. "No, not really. I mean, a little I guess. Who wouldn't be after being attacked by a bear?" Misaki replied, looking at Sumi.

Sumi ruffled up Misaki's hair, and Misaki pushed him away. "It was a good thing that Mr. Usami found you though." 

Misaki blushed. "Yeah, it was." he said, looking down at his feet and smiling to himself. Even thinking about Akihiko made him happy. "Good thing I asked him to come over that day."

"Oh?" Sumi said, raising an eyebrow. "Why did you ask him over?"

Misaki instantly cursed at himself for saying something like that. It sounded weird, why did he have to say that? "Oh umm!" He stuttered, trying to think of a reason. "Well you know, just to hang out, 'cause we're friends!" He laughed, "I just thought I'd get some hunting in before he came over!"

Sumi grinned at him. "Oh yes, I see." He patted Misaki on the back, "Well we'll have to catch up more later, I have to get to work." and Sumi was gone.

Misaki stared at him, wide eyed. "Shit." He said, his heart thumping against his chest. "Shitshitshitshit." He wanted to go to Akihiko's right now, to tell him what happened, to be consoled and told that nothing was wrong. He was freaking out over nothing, being unrealistic, paranoid. Anything that slipped from his mouth that hinted that Akihiko and Misaki saw each other more in private could lead people to think that there was something going on. 

So he made an excuse to leave. He dug into his pocket and grabbed the coins he had stuffed in there. "Darn it." He said, "Guess I don't have enough! I'll have to wait till next week!" He sighed loudly and turned and went back the way he came, leaving town and going up the road that lead to Akihiko's home.

Misaki ran up to the door and knocked frantically. Tanaka answered the door.

"Ah!" Misaki said, blinking in surprise. "I forgot you were here, Tanaka! Sorry!" Misaki said, giving off a strangled laugh. "Umm, is Akihiko home?"

Tanaka bowed and stepped to the side. "Master Akihiko is certainly home, would you like to come in, Mr. Takahashi?" Tanaka asked, giving him a kind smile.

Misaki fumbled with his shirt. 'I forget how formal Tanaka is.' Misaki thought. He stepped inside the house and smiled back. "Ah, thank you!" Misaki said and pulled off his boots. "He in the study?"

Tanaka nodded and Misaki walked down the hall to the room where Akihiko was. He knocked on the door. The reply came out strangled and tired, "Come...in..."

Misaki frowned and opened the door slowly. The place, like always, was a huge mess, and Misaki had to step over trash and books to get to Akihiko.

Akihiko was typing away on his type writer, not pausing to look at Misaki. Misaki peered over his shoulder. "...Hey.." he whispered.

Akihiko flinched a little before turning in his seat. "Misaki..." he mumbled, blinking up at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh umm.." Misaki smiled shyly. "I actually forgot!" he blushed. "Sorry for bothering you, I just wanted to stop by."

Akihiko sighed and leaned back, running a hand through his hair. He was obviously exhausted, like he hadn't slept in days, and the room stunk of coffee. Akihiko must have been pulling multiple all-nighters.

"Misaki, I'm almost done..." Akihiko said, yawning. "Why don't you..." He paused, looking around and then noticing how dirty Misaki was. Akihiko wrinkled his nose. "You should go bathe, actually. Have Tanaka ready a bath for you."

Misaki's face went a bright red with embarrassment. He didn't say another word and stormed out of the study and up the stairs to the second floor. "I know I'm dirty!" He yelled to the walls. Nonetheless, he made his way into the bathroom. "I don't need Tanaka to do stuff for me!" He grumbled, stripping himself of his clothes and turning on the water that filled the tub quickly. "Stupid, dumb, Akihiko.." Misaki glared down at the water before stepping in and laying down in the tub.

Misaki sat there in the water and sulked for a few minutes before dunking his head underneath to get his hair wet. He surfaced to find Akihiko standing in the doorway, arms crossed. Misaki yelped at the sudden appearance of his lover.

Akihiko grabbed a small stool that was by the counter and pulled it over to the tub. "Let me wash your hair." He said, rolling up his sleeves and sitting on the stool.

Misaki glared before grabbing the soap and handing it over to Akihiko.

Akihiko squirted the liquid into his hands and rubbed them together before placing his hands into Misaki's hair and running his fingers across his scalp softly. Misaki sighed at the feeling and slouched more against the wall of the tub.

"I'm sorry if I offended you Misaki." Akihiko said suddenly, massaging Misaki's head. "I'm just tired, things tend to slip."

"No..." Misaki replied, looking to the side. "I'm sorry I bothered you. I should have checked first before I came."

Akihiko tilted Misaki's head back and kissed him, upside down, on the lips. Misaki kissed back and Akihiko pulled away, continuing to wash Misaki's hair. "You really are dirty though." Akihiko said with a laugh.

Misaki chuckled. "Yeah, I was going to bathe tonight." Misaki replied, splashing Akihiko with some of the water. "But I like your tub better." he admitted.

"Oh, the real truth for your visit is out!" Akihiko exclaimed. "I see how it is. Only wanting me for the tub." He brought his hands away and washed them in the water, "I'm done with your hair."

Misaki scoffed and dunked his head underneath the water, washing the soap out and coming back up, gasping for air. "Actually," Misaki said, turning to face Akihiko. "I came 'cause of something else."

Akihiko tilted his head, "Oh? Do tell, Misaki."

Misaki took a deep breath. He wanted to talk to Akihiko about Sumi, but he knew how much Akihiko didn't like Sumi, and it was probably because he worked for Haruhiko. "Well, I just... I'm still...." Misaki didn't know how to word what he was about to say. He bit his bottom lip. "Akihiko, I'm still really scared." he blurted.

Akihiko stared at him, his face blank. "About what?"

Misaki looked away, not wanting to offend. "I'm scared of people finding out about us and what they'd do. I love you but I don't want them to hurt you, and they would, and I'm just so scared of going into town now and possibly letting something slip about us."

Akihiko sighed out with relief, and Misaki glanced at him. "Oh, my love." Akihiko whispered, "No one will find out. We're safe, I'll keep you safe."

"But I want you to be safe too!" Misaki exclaimed, turning so quickly in the tub that some water splashed out. "I just don't know how."

Akihiko got up from his stool and kneeled by the tub, he grabbed Misaki's chin and kissed him softly on the lips. "No one will know, I can promise you that." He reached into the water and grabbed hold of one of Misaki's hands and brought it up to his lips and kissed his fingers. "I won't let anyone else touch you." 

Misaki blushed brightly and diverted his gaze to something else. "Do you... Umm.." He swallowed. "You should take a bath too." He said, pulling back his hand.

Akihiko smiled. "You won't mind?"

Misaki gave him a small smile in return. "No, I don't mind. Just... Don't touch me."

Akihiko chuckled and pulled off his shirt and pants and got in the open space behind Misaki. Misaki settled in between Akihiko's leg and leaned back into his body. 

"At least let me wash you." Akihiko bargained and Misaki nodded. He grabbed a bar of soap and pushed Misaki forward a bit so he could see his bare back. "No funny business, I promise." 

Misaki sent him a glare over his shoulder. "I don't trust you." He said, but didn't move away, despite his words. Akihiko didn't reply but rubbed the soap into a rag and started cleaning Misaki's back with the cloth. It was soothing, and it took Misaki's mind off of things, and he liked sharing the tub with Akihiko. In fact, this was the first time they had shared a tub together. Misaki didn't really care, he had already seen Akihiko naked multiple times. The thought of Akihiko's naked body was enough to heat him up though, and he instantly turned his thoughts to something else. After hounding Akihiko not to touch him inappropriately and then get a hard on because of just the thought of him, that would be beyond embarrassing and Akihiko would start touching him, which he didn't want.

Akihiko ran the rag up Misaki's back, over his neck, and down his collar bones. Misaki leaned back and Akihiko pressed a kiss to Misaki's head. "You certainly smell better now." Akihiko whispered in Misaki's ear.

Misaki shivered at it. "Rude." He muttered. Misaki scooped some water into his hand and then dropped it, watching it fall. "You probably needed to bathe too."

"You're probably right. You should return the favor." Akihiko said and leaned forward, pressing his chest into Misaki's back and dipping his hand below the water and washing around Misaki's groin.

Misaki gasped and put his hand over Akihiko's. "I said no."

"I'm not doing anything you don't want." Akihiko whispered in his ear. "Just washing you up, love."

Misaki blushed and removed his hand from Akihiko's, panting, his face and body feeling overheated. Akihiko dipped his free hand down below the water and wrapped his fingers around Misaki's length, which was already hard. Misaki could feel Akihiko against him, half hard and twitching. Misaki moaned. "God damn it.." He muttered, fluttering his eyes closed.

Akihiko took the first hand away, the one holding the rag, and started running it up and down Misaki's inner thighs. The touch made Misaki dizzy, and with Akihiko's expert fingers stroking him, he lost control of his senses and moans and whines and cries of pleasure were ripped from his mouth. And then he remembered Tanaka and he squeezed his mouth shut, moaning quietly.

 

"Let me hear you." Akihiko said, dropping the rag and bringing his hand up and pinching Misaki's nipple between two fingers. Misaki yelped and covered his mouth with his hands. 

Akihiko took the hand away that was stroking Misaki's length and grabbed Misaki around his wrists. "Do something for me." He pulled Misaki's hands away and brought one below the water, wrapping Misaki's hand around himself. "Do it for me, I'm always bad at multitasking."

Misaki swallowed a lump in his throat. He couldn't believe what Akihiko was asking of him. To jerk himself off so Akihiko could do whatever he was planning on doing. His pride wouldn't allow it. and yet, he couldn't help it. It was painful just to leave it, and so he pumped himself slowly, refusing to make a sound.

Akihiko pressed his lips against the back of Misaki's neck and used his now free hands to tease Misaki. One of his hands held the rag, where he rubbed against the sensitive parts of Misaki's body before going down his legs to wash off the dirt and then to return to his thighs. His other hand came up to stroke over his nipples, which were hard, and Akihiko chuckled and bit down on Misaki's neck.

Misaki was lost in the pleasure of it all, his skin was picking up every touch, and finally he let out a long, low moan. Akihiko hummed at the sound and plucked at Misaki's nipple in response.

"Ah-Akihiko..." Misaki moaned, stroking himself faster. "Ohgod." He moaned, "Ta-Tanaka... Might hear." 

Akihiko rubbed the rag up his abdomen, "Seems like you don't want to stop though." Akihiko muttered seductively into his ear. "Wouldn't want to disappoint, keep going."

Misaki bit his lip and obliged. How could he stop now? On the verge of cumming, his stomach filled with butterflies, his head dizzy with desire. So he kept stroking himself as Akihiko teased his nipples, moaning out an ensemble of lust. 

"I'm about... about to cum..." Misaki whispered, falling against Akihiko's chest. 

"I want to hear your moans, Misaki." Akihiko whispered down his neck, and that was it. Misaki stroked upward one more time and came into the water, crying out. His arm fell limp, and he didn't want to move for a very long time. He could feel Akihiko's hardness against him though, and when he fell back he could hear Akihiko moan. 

Misaki felt a little bad, that he had gone through all the and Akihiko had to deal with that the whole time. But at the same time he thought he deserved it, since he deliberately told Akihiko not to touch him. 'Then again', Misaki thought, 'I let him do it.' 

"Misaki..." Akihiko muttered, "I need to deal with this." Akihiko pushed Misaki forward so he could wiggle himself enough room.

Misaki didn't turn around right away, too spent to move, but he heard the water shift as Akihiko took himself in hand and started to stroke himself. Misaki thought that Akhiko didn't make a lot of noise whenever he did this, and he wondered how he held it all in. Misaki could barely keep his mouth shut when Akihiko did things to him, but Akihiko barely moaned.

He turned himself around to face Akihiko. Akihiko was leaning back into the tub, head thrown back and panting as he jerked himself off. Misaki bit his lip and mentally berated himself for what he was about to do.

Misaki grabbed Akihiko's wrist under the water to stop it from moving any more. Akihiko lifted his head, confused. Misaki brought himself up to straddle Akihiko's lap. He wrapped his fingers around Akihiko's penis and began to pump, slowly. 

"Misaki...." Akihiko moaned.

"I'm returning the favor." Misaki replied and leaned in, kissing Akihiko on the lips. He was still new at this, and his hand fumbled on Akihiko. He decided to stroke his fingers up Akihiko's length, which elicited a sweet moan from Akihiko's lips. Misaki smiled into his mouth and Akihiko brought his hands up to hold Misaki's head there, to run his fingers through Misaki's hair.

Misaki rubbed his palm down Akihiko, his fingers brushing at the base before he wrapped them around him and stroked upward. With each move it seemed that Akihiko lost concentration, and his tongue faltered in kissing Misaki, and then a moan followed.

Akihiko pulled away from Misaki when he felt himself coming close. "Misaki... So generous..." He whispered and pressed his forehead into Misaki's. He panted, closing his eyes.

Misaki blushed and didn't reply, he didn't know how, he was just trying to concentrate. He looked down into the water, but that embarrassed him more, so he closed his eyes instead. Misaki was brought up for a kiss as Akihiko came, hot and heavy, and he moaned deliciously into Misaki's mouth.

They sat together for awhile, kissing, panting, recovering. Finally, Misaki stood and got out the tub and Akihiko followed directly after. They grabbed separate towels and dried off and retreated into Akihiko's bedroom to get dressed.

Misaki also had left some clothes at Akihiko's, now clean thanks to Tanaka, so he put those on and sat on the bed, tired. Akihiko put on some clean clothes too and walked over, resting a hand on Misaki's cheek and brushing some of his wet hair out of the way so he could kiss him on his brow.

"You could break me so easily, if you wanted." Akihiko said, sitting down beside him and playing with Misaki's wet hair. "You are so generous and giving." he said, and Misaki looked up at him. "And I love you so much."

"Laying it on pretty thick, aren't you?" Misaki joked, "Musta been one great hand job."

Akihiko wrapped his arms around Misaki's middle and dipped him slightly, "You would know, what with all those noises you were making."

Misaki went bright red. "Shu-shut up. I was not making any noises." he sputtered.

"You sounded like a whore."

"I did not!" 

Akihiko smiled and pulled Misaki back up. "Moaning out my name."

"Oh god shut up." Misaki grumbled, standing up. Akihiko grabbed his waist and pulled him into his lap. "Not like you didn't make any noises."

"Thats true." Akihiko replied, resting his chin on Misaki's head. "But you could have me pleading for you, if you so wanted."

Misaki blushed, "Heh, maybe I'll have to see if I actually can one day."

Akihiko chuckled. "Perhaps you should."


End file.
